Destined
by LilyannaSpiritOfTheCheetah
Summary: She was destined to heal the land and bring life to it once more, but she wouldn't do so alone. White Hart's blessing had given her a chance to survive Ravenna's spell and it was up to a simple huntsman to save her, for she was not the only one destiny had ensnared.
1. Escape

_Disclaimer: I do not own Snow White & The Huntsman.  
_

**A/N - This is essentially my version of my movie, you'll notice I stick pretty close to it, lots of dialogue is used, etc.  
**

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**Chapter 1 – Escape**

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Snow ran as fast as her unused legs could carry her. She knew Finn and the Queen's men were searching for her and it was certain death if they found her. She cursed herself for having allowed the dark forest get the better of her and for falling asleep. When she woke she realized how little ground she had covered and immediately began moving once more. She had been traveling for what could be no more than an hour when she heard footfalls coming swiftly from behind. Knowing the only people who would venture into the dark forest were those on the Queen's orders, Snow broke into a run. Jumping over rocks and tree trunks Snow made her way as quickly and quietly as possible away from her pursuers. As she hurled herself over the next fallen tree, Snow's dress caught on a branch and she fell to the ground. Her fall had slowed her down but had also allowed her to see an outcrop of branches that she could hide under. Quickly gathering her skirts, Snow dashed behind the branches and held as still as possible, waiting for her pursuers to pass. She heard the footsteps approach but instead of running past her location they came to a stop. Snow dared not even breathe, not wanting to attract unwanted attention. It was all for naught however as seconds later two large hands reached into the bushes and wrapped themselves around her arms, pulling her out. Snow screamed and kicked at her captor but he merely tightened his grip.

"Let go of me!"

Her captor whirled her around to face him and when his eyes met hers he ceased all aggression, unsure exactly what he was dealing with.

"Will you help me?" Snow implored her captor, sensing his hesitation. "Please, please the Queen's going to kill me."

"I'm sure she is." The man said and he began dragging her back the way she had come.

"She's going to rip out my heart!"

"Quick work." A voice called, causing both of them to turn towards Finn. Snow immediately began struggling again, wanting nothing more than to get away from the Queen's brother. "Well done Huntsman, hand her over." The Huntsman's grip tightened once more causing Snow to gasp in pain and cease her struggles, however he made no move to hand her over to Finn.

"What do you intend to do with her?" he asked.

"What do you care?" Finn questioned.

"You want her-hey!" The Huntsman growled, pulling out his axe and brandishing it at Finn's companions who had made to take Snow from him. "Give me what I was promised!" Snow looked up at the Huntsman and saw not the cold eyes of those who usually worked for Ravenna, but deep sorrow and desperation. She knew in that moment that the Huntsman was not a bad man, but would do whatever necessary to get back what he had lost and ease his sorrow.

"You did your job well, now keep your word." Finn said, holding the men back, knowing his sister would be furious if the Princess died before she had her heart.

"He'll kill us both." Snow said, hoping the Huntsman would see the truth and not hand her over.

"Shut up." Came his reply.

"He will." She insisted.

"I said shut up!" The Huntsman turned to her momentarily and Snow, feeling fear seeing his desperately fearsome look, resumed her struggles. However she might have been pulling against one of the forest's tallest trees for all the good it did.

"No, no, no!" she cried as the Huntsman pulled her roughly towards him, holding his axe to her throat.

"I'll keep my word when the Queen keeps hers." He shot at Finn when the girl stopped struggling, feeling the sharpness of his axe against her soft skin. "Where is my wife?!"

"He's going to betray you." Snow hissed.

"My sister has many powers. She can take life away or sustain it, but she can't bring your wife back from the dead you fool!" Finn snarled. With rage building inside him, the Huntsman shoved Snow away from him and turned on Finn and the guards.

"I want her back!" Swinging his axe wildly, the Huntsman made quick work of the Queen's guards and though he had a little more trouble with Finn, with the help of the forest he too was quickly dealt with. The Huntsman turned to where the girl had fallen but saw that she had wasted not time in running away. He ran after her and caught up rather quickly, grabbing her and using his superior strength to press her against a tree and clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her screams.

"Quiet." He said, looking in the eyes. "Alright?" Hesitantly Snow nodded, realizing that she would be dead already if the Huntsman had wanted her dead. At her nod the Huntsman removed his hand and eased up on her, looking around for danger. He had not, however, counted on the little slip of a girl being any sort of danger herself and so was surprised when her fist connected with his face, sending him reeling backwards. Snow used that time to grab one of the Huntsman's daggers and get far enough away to fight him if it came to it.

"The hell…" He muttered, turning to face the girl who held the dagger in front of her at the ready, though the Huntsman quickly noticed her hold was wrong and unsteady and so did not raise his own weapon. "Who are you? Why does the Queen want you dead?"

"She wants everyone dead, all of us."

"What makes you so damn valuable?"

"You should know you're the one hunting me!" She countered. Whatever the Huntsman's reply would be it was cut off by his groan of pain as he grabbed his chest, his hand coming away bloody from a wound Finn had given him.

"Ah forget it. I should never have gotten involved in the Queen's business." He muttered, grabbing his axe and turning around, heading away from the girl he was supposed to bring back to the Queen.

"Where are you going?" Snow called, her fear spiking at the thought of being left alone in the dark forest. She should be grateful the Huntsman was not taking her to Ravenna, and she was, but knowing he wouldn't she now did not want him to leave her.

"Shh!" he said, spinning around and pinning her with an incredulous look for shouting in the dark forest. "Getting away from you, you're trouble is what you are." He said softly. Snow ran the few feet to his side and once again implored his better side.

"I need to get to the Duke's castle." She whispered, and the Huntsman was pleasantly surprised to see that she was a quick learner. "There's an army there."

"What the Duke's army? A bunch of farmers and milk maids with pitch forks." He replied, bending down and grabbing some leaves and mud, using it as a makeshift bandage for his wound. "I know sheep that have more fight in them."

"I'm valuable. That's why you're here isn't it?" He turned away from her once again and she followed him, desperate now for his help. "If you return without me you're dead. If you leave me…I'm dead." Her words had the Huntsman turning back towards her, that glimpse of the good man she had seen coming through once more.

"Just for arguments sake…how much reward?" He said, hiding his nagging need to help this girl behind his own greed.

"However much is enough." she answered.

"At least, thirty gold pieces, no less-"

"A hundred." She countered without hesitation and the Huntsman's head snapped up to face her, his heart skipping a beat at the lost, helpless look on perhaps the most beautiful face he had ever seen. "Help me." She begged. The Huntsman narrowed his eyes and stalked towards her, causing her to back up on instinct until she hit a tree, the Huntsman stopping barely a foot away.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Maybe you should have asked the Queen that." She said, trusting him with the life a runaway prisoner, not with the life of the King's daughter.

"I don't trust you." He said.

"I've given you my word." She said, thinking he meant her word on the hundred gold pieces.

"I still don't trust you." His eyes bored into hers and Snow knew he wasn't talking about the reward. "But you have a deal." Spitting into his hand he held it out to her. With barely a second's hesitation, Snow took his hand sealing their agreement. The Huntsman stowed his axe away and made to turn around and lead the way, but stopped at the sight of the dagger still in the girl's hand. "Give me that." He said, taking it from her. "Before you lose a finger." Eyeing her once more, the Huntsman turned away and began the long trek through the forest. They walked for hours without talking, the only sounds made were the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs beneath their feet, and Snow's cries as she fell prey to the illusions and magic of the forest. The Huntsman sighed as once again as the girl allowed the forest to get the better of her. Coming over and swinging his axe at the branches holding her captive, he freed her, snapping her out of the forest's spell.

"The forest gains strength from your weakness." He repeated for at least the seventh time in two hours. Sighing once more he shook his head and walked a ways away, pulling out his drink pouch.

"Do you drink to drown your sorrows or your conscience?" Snow asked.

"What concern is it if yours why I drink?" he shot back.

"I suppose a man's sorrows are his own." She bowed her head, dropping the subject.

"What does a young girl like you know about sorrow?" She did not answer him, still not trusting him with her identity. Instead she made to continue on, only to be tripped as her dress caught on the branches, not for the first time. This time, however, her dress tore, leaving a slit up the side and exposing her leg. The Huntsman's eyes flew to her leg as the creamy flesh appeared, taking in her undeniable beauty, not for the first time. Snow seemed oblivious to his wandering eyes, and instead stood back up, the motion causing her bodice to slip, the sleeves coming off her shoulders. This had happened many times as the dress she wore was indeed too big, and every time it drew the Huntsman's attention as the swell of her breasts became visible. This time, however, he did not turn away, but shifted his gaze between her chest and thigh. And who could blame him? She was a beautiful young woman, obviously not new to the world if she did not bat an eye at her exposed skin. However unbeknownst to him, Snow was absolutely aware her skin was exposed to him; it was hard not to be. The Huntsman just persisted in turning away from her when it happened and so never caught the looks she sent him. Of course this time was different, and Snow was beginning to feel uncomfortable at his persistent gaze. Moving forward once more, Snow made it past the next fallen tree before her skirt caught again. Groaning she reached down to untangle it but the Huntsman beat her to it. However, instead of untangling it, he took his knife and cut off the bottom of her dress so it came just past her knees. Snow let out a squeal of fright and eyed the Huntsman wearily as he looked at her bare legs, then slowly let his eyes travel up her body, pausing at the swell of her breasts, exposed thanks to a tear in her gown, before his eyes came to rest on hers.

"Don't flatter yourself." He said, seeing that she obviously thought he was going to try something, and wanting her to know that he was not at all attracted to her, though the guttural tone of his voice gave him away; he just hoped she didn't know that. They traveled on until the Dark Forest became even darker, signalling that night was falling.

"We will stay here for the night." The Huntsman said, coming to a stop next to a hollowed tree. He looked inside, ensuring they would be the only occupants, before he motioned to Snow to enter, climbing in after her and cutting some braches until they fell in a manner that disguised their hiding place. With that accomplished he turned his attention to the girl who had curled up in a ball as far away from him as possible.

"I said not to flatter yourself." He reminded her. "Perhaps I was wrong to assume you would know that meant I bear you no attraction. You need not cower in the corner, your virtue is safe."

"I am not cowering." She said. "It is simply that after years in a tower cell I have learned that the best way to keep warm is to curl into oneself."

"And to do so in the farthest corner?"

"We are in a tree. I was not certain how big the space was, and you are….tall." She lamely finished.

"I am a big man, aye." He agreed with an amused chuckle. "And you are naught but a tiny thing that does not need to prove just how tiny you are by cowering in the corner."

"I told you I am not cowering." She repeated, though did move away from the wall some. They sat in silence for a bit, neither ready for sleep as the excitement of the day still bared down on them.

"Why did the Queen keep you locked in a tower for so many years?" The Huntsman finally asked, repeating the question from earlier that day.

"Why does the Queen do anything she does?" Snow countered. "She is mean, sadistic and evil. She does what she pleases without a care or thought to any other."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"It does not concern you." She nearly snapped. "All that concerns you is getting me safely to Duke Hammond's castle, where you will then receive your reward." She added as an incentive.

"You must be someone of great importance to both the Queen and the Duke to have one doing all she can to get you back, and knowing another will pay one hundred gold pieces for your safe return." Snow said nothing, allowing him his thoughts but not willing to either confirm or deny any of them. "By your speech I would say you are a lady of some breeding, though who or of where I do not know."

"It does not concern you." She mumbled again, leaning back against the tree and doing all she could to get comfortable.

"If you won't tell me who you are, will you at least tell me your name?" He asked a moment later as he too tried to settle down for the night.

"Snow." She said finally. "You can call me Snow."

"Snow…" He murmured, wondering if that was her real name or one she chose on a whim, though he could not deny that it suited her, for her skin was so light in colour.

"And you?" She asked. "I would know your name, now that you know mine."

"Eric." He said with little hesitation. "My name is Eric." They said no more and allowed themselves to drift off to sleep though it did not last long. The chill of the lingering winter was in the air, and never more so then in the Dark Forest; it was not long until Snow's shivering and chattering teeth awoke the Huntsman. He lifted his head to look at her, though he could see nothing through the darkness and so felt, rather then saw, her shivering form. Cursing himself for not realizing she would freeze in that dress, for not only was it all she had, but he'd also removed a large portion of it, leaving her legs bare above the boots she wore. He reached across the small space and lifted her up, bringing her around to lie beside him.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked.

"You are freezing and your teeth chattering is keeping me awake." He said as he moved them so her back was to his chest and his arm was securely wrapped around her. "I have a long coat and warm body to offer."

"It is h-highly inappropriate…" She protested weakly, already feeling the warmth of his body against her back and the biting chill having disappeared from her bare legs when he'd covered them with his coat.

"What care I for appropriate?"

"But-"

"Hush." He said. "We can worry about appropriate when we reach Duke Hammond's, but we will not even reach there if we freeze to death." He included himself in that, for although not shivering uncontrollably, he was cold. Snow said no more and settled into sleep, Eric not far behind her. He was the first to awake the next morning and looked down to see that she had shifted in her sleep, turning so her head rested on his chest. As she slept, he took a moment to observe her, observe her beauty and the innocence about her. Contrary to his initial thoughts, it was obvious she knew little about the world, though her years in the tower would explain that, but it was that innocence that gave way to her beauty. While he would not deny that her face was one of the most pleasing he'd ever looked upon, it was not her physical beauty he thought of, but rather her inner beauty, the beauty that allowed her, through her innocence, to still have hope for the world and still believe that there was goodness, where he, and many others, had given up hope long ago. In that moment he wanted to protect her, she was no longer just a means to an end that would see him with one hundred gold pieces, but he truly wished to see her through this, and protect her from the dangers of the forest, and of the world thereafter.

"Snow." He called softly, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. "Snow you must wake. We must be on our way." She woke slowly, groggily looking around through half closed eyes before looking up at him, their eyes boring into each other, both fully aware that he still held her close.

"Y-yes." She stumbled, looking away in embarrassment and moving off him. "I am ready." He nodded and cleared the branches before leading the way out of the tree. They walked for most of the day, watching as the trees thinned until daylight was truly able to breakthrough onto their faces, though there was by no means any sun.

"Is this the edge of the dark forest?" Snow asked.

"Aye." He answered warily. An old stone bridge stood before them not far ahead and its presence had him on edge; for whatever reason, bridges were often the place of ambush. Eric pulled out his axe and a knife, debating with himself whether to give it to her or not, knowing of her ineptitude.

"Let me show you something." He said, deciding to teach her one thing on how to use a knife before giving it to her, and before continuing into possibly even more danger. He held out the knife, which she gingerly took, looking at it with uncertainty. "Which is your lead foot?" He asked, getting a confused look. He took a quick step forwards, forcing her back on instinct and taking note that she did so with her right foot. "If someone comes at you, you raise this arm up." He instructed, bringing her left arm up in a defensive position. "You block, and use their strength against them." He brought his arm up and took another step forwards, moving his arm towards her as if brandishing a knife, showing her the proper way to block. "Wait until they get close," Another step forwards and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close and regretting his action almost immediately as he felt her small body pressed flushed against him. "And then you drive it through their heart to the hilt." He forced himself to continue, bringing her right arm forwards and punching her closed fist against his chest just above his heart. "You understand? You _do not_ hesitate." He reiterated, suddenly imagining her actually having to use the skill he taught her and not liking that thought one bit. "Then you look in their eyes, and you do not pull it out until you see their soul."

"I could not do that." She said after a moment's hesitation, looking up at him with sad eyes, both at the thought of actually taking a life, and also at knowing she was disappointing him, though that last thought she forced from her.

"Well you might not have a choice." He said before turning and continuing on the way. Slowly they approached the bridge and once half way across Eric's fear of an ambush came true. Battle cries were heard as men on horses came pounding out of the trees, Finn at their lead.

"Stay behind me!" Eric instructed, as he raised his weapons. "And be prepared to run." Finn's men did not hesitate in attacking them and it became clear very quickly that they weren't trying to capture Snow, but kill her, apparently the Queen had decided she no longer cared if Snow lived or died. The Huntsman alone wasn't faring well against all those men, though he could have sworn one of them had saved his life at one point, turning on his comrade. Luck, however, for Eric did not know what else to call it, was on his side for not long after the fight had begun, a loud roar was heard, and every man turned to see a creature rising from the ditch below the bridge.

"Troll!" Eric cried, grabbing a hold of Snow and jumping out of the way, turning so that when they hit the ground she landed on top of him.

"Eric!" She cried in worry at his grunt of pain.

"I'm fine." He said, getting up and pulling her to her feet before shoving her in the opposite direction as the troll. "Run!" He told her, turning back towards the creature and preparing to fend it off till she could get away. His luck came in that the troll had gone after Finn and his men as well. They had scattered, some making it off into the forest while others weren't so lucky. Finn, however, as well as the one Eric could have sworn had helped him, remained, determined to reach Snow. Fending off Finn and a troll was difficult, though it had its moments when Finn had no choice but to forget about him and Snow, and fend himself from the troll, his companion not faring much better. The three men were knocked backwards, each hitting the ground hard, but it was Eric that the troll went after.

"No!" a voice practically shrieked as a small body launched itself in front of him. Snow stood there, staring the troll in the face, knowing she was probably about to die, but for some reason not caring, for the alternative was leaving Eric to this monster, which was something she couldn't do. Snow stared the monster down as it drew nearer, falling backwards when it roared in her face, it's putrid breath making her gag. But then the strangest thing happened. The troll, which had only moments ago been snarling and grunting, preparing to attack and devour its prey, stopped. Snow could feel its eyes boring in to hers and she knew then that it was not a vicious creature and meant her no harm; it's attack stemming from its hunger and their invading his home. The troll stepped back and sat down before her, all its aggressiveness leaving him. Snow was about to approach, seeing the goodness in this creature that no others did, but was pulled away by Eric, who had taken the moment of the troll's tame behaviour to get to his feet. Snow looked to him and while she could tell that he was still weary of the troll, his real goal was now to get her away from Finn, for this was their only chance as the giant troll stood between her and the one hunting her. With a farewell smile to the troll, Snow allowed herself to be pulled away, Eric leading her slowly until the troll's roar was heard once more and he decided that they were far enough away and took off at a run. The sound of pursuing feet did not follow them and so Eric assumed the troll's roar had not been at them, but rather hopefully at Finn. Either way, they were safe for the moment.

"I told you to run!" He growled as he yanked her around and held her securely with both hands, looking down at her and at once yet again aware of her small stature, the top of her head not quite making it to his shoulder, and wondering how such a small thing could tame a giant troll.

"If I had you would be dead." She answered, looking up at him, those same eyes that had only moments ago borne into the troll's now bore into his. All his anger left him, replaced by that same feeling of protectiveness he'd felt earlier, though also a new sense of understanding, of knowing, that she was strong, that there was something about her that made others see the world as a better place, and had him feeling that her life, her happiness, was now placed above all else. The two continued to stare at each other, both unable to pull apart and slowly, giving her lots of time to pull away, Eric leaned down and kissed her. It was a hesitant kiss, he knew that this would be her first, a girl as beautiful as her did not reach this age knowing some things but not others, it was one or the other and she was innocent and pure. Although he sorely wanted to, Eric forced himself to pull away. He'd promised her virtue would be safe with him, and if they continued down this path then he could not guarantee that.

"L-let us move on." He said finally. Snow nodded silently and allowed him to lead the way.

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**A/N - My first non-Power Rangers story, so we'll see how I do in an entirely different world. **

**Again, this is my version of the movie and sticks pretty close to the movie as you can see, just with a bigger focus on Snow and Eric and their romance. There are five chapters, all of them written, just gotta edit, and like the movie it will end with the coronation. **

**Review and let me know what you think! **


	2. The Eight Dwarves

_Disclaimer: I do not own Snow White & The Huntsman.  
_

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**Chapter 2 – The Eight Dwarves**

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As they continued on their journey, Eric was pleased to see that the distance that was usually between them as they walked had thinned considerably, she apparently wasn't against the kiss, but followed his lead in not making a big deal out of it. All the same the closeness pleased them both. They walked awhile longer until they came upon a small lake and were met by women in boats, all pointing arrows in their direction; Eric immediately pushed Snow behind him in case they should loose one of those arrows.

"Only demons or spirits pass through the Dark Forest." The one woman, who was clearly their leader, said. "Which are you?"

"We are fugitives from the Queen." Eric answered.

"We mean you no harm." Snow added, peeking around from behind the Huntsman. Upon laying eyes on Snow, the woman's entire countenance changed and they were immediately invited to join them in their village; if Eric noticed the sudden shift he didn't comment on it.

"Where are the men?" Eric asked as they rowed into the village, only women being visible, though it appeared that the entire village came out upon hearing there were newcomers.

"Gone." Came the simple reply. A little girl, who could be no older then eight or nine, offered her hand to Snow to assist her out of the boat when they docked. Snow smiled up at her and accepted her hand, though ensured the girl did not feel any of her weight. Shortly after their arrival, Eric and Snow split up, Snow to play with Lily, the little girl who'd helped her out of the boat, while her mother Anna, the woman who was the village's leader, led the Huntsman away upon hearing he had been injured and nor properly treated. Eric groaned as she put a kind of paste on the stab wound, but left his complaining at that, grateful that he, and especially Snow, were receiving help.

"You got anything to drink?" Eric asked, receiving a cold glare in return.

"You have travelled far." Anna replied, ignoring his request for a drink beyond her glare. "And carried a great burden."

"I've had worse jobs." Eric answered. "Anyway, she's not that heavy." Anna stopped in her movements and shot him an incredulous look. Eric took the moment to pull his shirt down, deciding that if the paste needed to be spread more he'd do it himself.

"You don't know who she is." Anna said, it wasn't a question.

"What do you mean?" Eric asked, to which Anna merely smiled. "Why? Who is she?" His disbelief when Anna told him was paramount and he stumbled in a daze across the village to the dock Snow and Lily were sitting on, wrapping a doll made of straw in a piece of material for a dress.

"Your mother wants to see you." He told Lily, though his eyes did not leave Snow. The little girl obediently collected her things and went off, leaving the two alone. Snow watched as Eric gingerly took a seat, further from her then she would have expected, given the kiss they'd shared.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked finally. "W-what? Cause I'd think it too difficult a task? You'd be right." Snow had no doubt that he spoke of who she truly was, and now with him knowing, there was no reason to hide anything from him, or her reasoning for hiding the truth in the first place.

"I did not trust you." She mumbled. "I-I mean I did, or I would not have gone off with you in the first place-"

"You didn't really have much of a choice." He countered.

"No." She agreed. "But had I thought you would simply kill me given the chance I would have taken my chances alone with the forest, not placed my life in your hands."

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I trusted you with Snow's life, with the life of a commoner-" His laugh cut her off as he shook his head.

"I never thought you a commoner." He said. "I told you that first night I you're you to be some noble lady, your speech was too pretty to be otherwise."

"But there is a difference between some unknown noble lady, and the heir to King Magnus' throne. I trusted you with my life, not with the life-"

"Of the Princess?" He interrupted again. "Good. That's probably the first smart thing you've done since I met you."

"But I do trust you…now." She said, looking him in the eyes begging him to believe her, and more importantly, though she refused to admit it, not to leave her. "You may have been blindsided by losing whatever it was that Finn promised you originally, but when he returned, when he had all those men who would kill you, when the troll came…you had every opportunity to leave me and save yourself, yet you nearly gave your life for me."

"And that is supposed to prove I would not hand you over now I know who you are?"

"I believe it does." She murmured. "You cannot return from death, yet you would give your life for an unknown girl. You had already been offered a reward, you had a chance to live, you could have handed me over at any time yet you protected me. What does it matter if I am that unknown girl or a princess?"

"It matters a great deal." He countered. "Y-you are the rightful _Queen_ for God's sake! I-I belittled you, bullied you, held you in my arms, _kissed_ you, the Queen…" Snow smiled softly at him as her point was proven.

"You speak now of propriety?" She asked in jest. "I see that _that_ is what matters a great deal now that you know who I am: propriety. You not once mentioned the danger you are in, how Ravenna will do anything she can to see to my end, and the end of anyone who helped me. You did not speak of gaining a higher reward, or what you would do, that you would hand me over to her, if I refused. You worry that I am shocked by your behaviour towards me, not in any doubt that you would forsake me." Eric had no response to that for she was right. Not once since the very beginning, had it crossed his mind to hand her over, knowing she was the Princess, the rightful Queen, made no difference to him in that regard.

"I'm sorry." Snow murmured. "For not telling you sooner." Eric merely nodded, not trusting his voice as he stood and walked off, needing time alone to think. Snow sighed as he walked away from her but knew he had every right too; her only hope was that he'd return. Heading back into the village proper, Snow was greeted with much enthusiasm. It seemed everyone here knew who she was and were determined to make her stay here as luxurious as possible, though she would not allow any of them to either put themselves out or treat her specially, though on that last count it was a lost battle. For the first time since she was a young girl was she being treated like a princess, and it not only felt weird, but she very much felt like a fraud. She was a princess by birth, but she'd done nothing for these people, her people, had done nothing to deserve their love and respect. She spent the remainder of the day doing what she could to make up for that, though she knew helping gut fish and mend clothes would never be enough. As night fell, the Huntsman returned to the hut they were both to share with Anna and Lily, his presence giving Snow peace of mind that he'd not desert her. She had no idea that's exactly what he'd intended to do, not because he was angry at her and no longer wanted to be near her, but because he believed she'd be safer without him, for everything he ever cared for was taken from him. He'd even gathered his things and started on his way as she'd helped some of the women prepare dinner, but had been unable to leave her. He felt that his heart broke with every step he took and so convinced himself that as she was in danger either way, being with him could not really cause any harm, but he could do all he could to protect her. He had his chance in the middle of the night when Finn and his men came upon them. The village was set alight and none new how they'd been followed.

"No! We have to help them!" Snow cried as he tried to pull her away and towards the reeds surrounding the village where they could escape. Although he wished nothing more then to throw her over his shoulder and take her to safety, he knew she was right; it seemed the longer he stayed with her, the more his conscience returned, for he'd never have thought twice about leaving even as few as three days ago. But they stayed and helped the women of the village to their boats, glad that Finn and his men were on horses and the water was far too deep to traverse. If they made it to the deep water they'd be safe. Eric and Snow split up as they helped the women to the two sets of boats on either side of the village. Eric had the smaller crowd and so saw them to safety rather quickly, which was quite lucky, for upon arriving at the other set boats he was met by a frantic Anna.

"He took her!" She cried and Eric felt himself pale.

"W-what?" He asked.

"One of the men attacking the village, he took her that way!" Anna pointed and Eric nodded, pulling out his axe and taking off at a run.

"Go!" He called over his shoulder. "I'll see her to safety." Anna nodded and the woman pushed off, rowing as fast as they could as Eric's feet did the same, hoping to reach Snow before it was too late. He didn't know if he was more lucky or enraged by the sight that greeted him not twenty feet away. The man that had taken Snow lay atop her struggling form, which would be where the rage came from, but the fact that she still struggled meant she was alive. This man had obviously decided to do with her as he pleased before taking her to Finn, which was lucky for Eric as it meant he could easily free Snow, but unlucky for the man as he did not know his life was at an end until it was over.

"Come on!" Eric said, hauling Snow to her feet and taking off into the reeds, not letting go of her hand and they ran. They stayed in the water, heading up river and leaving no trail for Finn to follow until they were far into the woods and day had well and truly started. Only then did Eric allow them to stop.

"We should never have been there." Snow sobbed suddenly. "Their home is destroyed, who knows if they all got away, and it is all because of us…no…because of _me_…" She continued to cry and so Eric did the only thing he could and pulled her to him, setting her in his lap and holding her close, allowing her to cry.

"It's alright." He murmured over and over again, willing her tears to end. She clung to him as she cried, and eventually she calmed down, though she did not release him, though he was by no means complaining.

"Eric…" She murmured after a moment, continuing when she received a grunt in acknowledgement. "That man…the one who…who lay atop me back at the village," Eric stiffened at the mention of that man and held her that much tighter.

"What about him?" He growled finally.

"He said he would have his fun with me before handing me over to Finn…what did he mean?" Now Eric stiffened for an entirely different reason; this was not the kind of discussion you had with someone, let alone a princess.

"You-" he cleared his throat. "You really don't know?" He felt her shake her head against his chest, for she still clung to him while he held her close, and sighed wondering how to explain such a thing.

"He…well, he…it matters not." He finished lamely. Snow finally pulled her head away to look up at him.

"Obviously it does if you killed him for it and grew all tense upon it being mentioned."

"I-I do not know if I'm the right one to explain such things to you. It is far from appropriate."

"Again with propriety. When will you learn that after years as Ravenna's prisoner propriety matters not to me?" She asked. "And how could you not be the right one to explain such things when you're all I've got." She mumbled that last sentence but he heard it none the less and sighed, knowing she was right, but still not willing to explain it to her, or at least not all.

"Your virtue would not have been safe with him, he would have taken it forcefully, ignoring any protests you gave him. It would have been far from pleasant for you, to say the least, and let us leave it at that."

"He would have raped me?!" She gasped.

"Thanks be to God that you know of what I speak…" He mumbled, not having relished the thought of explaining things any further but knowing that she would both not stop pestering him if he didn't, and that it would probably be in her best interests to know, for should they get set upon again, and with the Queen after them it was likely, it may happen again, and the Huntsman was besieged by the image of her all but welcoming the man in her innocence until it was too late.

"Of course I know." She said in disgust at the mere thought of it. "Years ago, one of my mother's maids was raped by a guardsman, and though I was but a young girl at the time, my mother still explained things, at least enough for me to know what it meant."  
"You're still a young girl." Eric countered.

"I may yet be young but I am a woman grown." Eric didn't fight her on that one, having felt the lust reserved for women, not girls, directed at her. They remained in silence for a bit, each lost in their own thoughts, and the ease and comfort of being, and having her, in his arms.

"Eric?" Snow asked after a moment. He grunted in acknowledgement and looked obediently down at her only for her press upwards and bring her lips to his. Eric was momentarily stunned, never having expected her to do such a thing, their kiss from the other day had been initiated by him and that was before he knew she was the Princess. When he felt her arms wrap around his neck, allowing her to deepen the kiss, he came out of his shock and pulled away.

"Your Highness we-"

"_Snow_." She stressed. "My name is Snow, or Snow White if you must use my full name. Nothing has changed, Eric, I'm still me."

"That's where you're wrong." He said, going to pull her arms from around him only for her to hold fast. He debated if he should force her to let go, there was no doubt of who was physically stronger of the two of them, but a part of him didn't want to. "Things have changed, _Your Highness_," He stressed now. "You're the Princess, the rightful Queen, _my _Queen, and this is not only highly inappropriate it could see me killed, a lowly huntsman laying his hands on the rightful Queen."

"I have said many times that I care not for propriety, and no one shall do a thing to you, I shall not allow it. But I will admit you are right, something has changed, but not because of my birth. You said I am your Queen, and though I know you meant it as in you are a citizen of this kingdom, it holds truth in another manner: I am yours, Eric. _Your_ Queen, _your _Snow, simply _yours._"

"No." He said plainly, though in truth he felt his heart swell at her pronouncement. "You are not mine, you never will be mine. You're the Princess who will be Queen. You'll marry a prince or some other man of high standing and you shall forget all about me once I have seen you safely to the Duke's castle."

"Never. I could never forget you." She said, sorrow lacing her voice at him even saying that. "And I am yours Eric. I may be innocent of many things having been locked away in a tower for ten years, but I know my heart, it is the only thing I have always been certain of. I love you Eric." She whispered. "I cannot explain how I have come to do so so quickly, but I have."

"You speak of fairy stories and things that do not exist." He protested, though his protests grew weak upon hearing her say she loved him. "People do not fall in love at first sight, such magic does not exist."

"If Ravenna's dark magic exists why cannot such good magic exist?"

"I-I don't know." He admitted.

"If you do not love me that is one thing, but do not deny me if you do." Eric wanted to protest more but Snow had taken his silence for what it was, that he could not say he didn't love her, and so had leaned up to kiss him once more. This time he did not pull away, becoming an active participant instead. Eventually they ended up lying down, her atop him, as they drew even closer. It was when her hands reached for his vest and began pulling it off that he next paused.

"Snow." He said huskily. "We can't."

"Why?"

"You don't know what you're doing. As you said you've been locked in a tower for ten years, you only know what your mother told you before then and I will not-"

"You're highly mistaken if you think that's all I know." She said with a blush, earning an inquisitive look. "I may not have known what that man meant by 'fun,' but I often heard the guards talk of one woman or another that they were with, and they were often very…descriptive." Eric's eyebrows shot up at that.

"And you continued to listen?" He asked.

"I was locked in a tower." She reminded him. "Where was I to go? It was not as if I sought them out." His shock abated somewhat knowing she was right and if they stood within hearing distance of her cell then there would be little she could do. He didn't know if it pleased him or not that she knew more then just what her mother had told her.

"Still…it is not something you can take back and-"

"If you say one word about me being too young, or a princess, or any such thing I will smack you." She warned, and he wisely kept his mouth shut for that was exactly what he was going to say.

"There are so many reasons we should not do this." He said instead.

"Yet the reasons that matter are the reasons we should." He didn't know if that was entirely true but he gave up protesting, and gave in to her. He initiated the kiss this time and she practically melted in to it. After awhile of simply kissing with no other actions on her part Eric realized that while she knew what was supposed to happen, she wasn't at all sure how to go about it. The guards she'd overheard had almost certainly spoken of tavern wenches or other worldly women, not innocent virgins, and Eric could guess the kinds of things she'd heard, knowing none of them would be close to what took place here between them. Taking control, he slowly switched their positions, laying her back against the ground, glad that if nothing else there was some grass to cushion her; the further they got from the Queen, the more lively the land got. He brought his hands up and undid the laces of her dress, pulling the material apart. He realized that he was probably taking things fast, possibly too fast, but with her safety always being in the forefront of his mind he was well aware that they were out in the open and never more vulnerable then they were now; he also knew he would not be able to wait long. Once he felt she was sufficiently prepared, he pulled back to look her in the eyes.

"There's no going back from his." He warned her one last time.

"I know." She said, looking him straight in the eyes in return and telling him to continue.

"This will hurt the first time." He said, taking a guess that the pain a woman felt upon losing her maidenhead was not something her mother had explained to such a young child, nor was it something the guards had spoken of. Her brow knit together confirming that he was right, but he didn't give her more time to dwell on it and tense up.

"I'm sorry." He murmured at her surprised cry of pain, kissing away a tear that had escaped. "It couldn't be helped, it hurts the first time for all women, but only the first time if the man is not a bastard or completely inept, I promise you." Snow nodded and he slowly felt her relax again as the pain quickly left her being replaced by other sensations. Once finished, he collapsed next to her, pulling her to him and running a hand gently over her hair as they both regained their breathing. When it became easier, Eric leaned down and gently kissed her.

"I cannot believe you seduced me." He said in amusement. "A young, innocent thing like you _seduced_ me. Well, not so innocent anymore." He amended, what with her virginity now gone.

"I have no regrets." She assured him and he kissed her once more before sitting up and fixing himself, lacing his breeches back up before doing the same with Snow's dress.

"We feel hot now, but the cold will soon creep back." He explained his actions. She nodded thankfully and made to stand but found her legs could not support her for they felt like jelly. Seeing she was about to fall, Eric caught her and swung her up into his arms, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"You'll feel yourself again soon." He said. "You are not in too much pain?" He then asked hesitantly, sure that it could not only have been his skill that made her stumble.

"No. I-I am not sure how I feel but it is far from pain." She replied.

"I'm glad. Rest now. I'll get us a little further before we stop for the night."

"You can't carry me, I'm too heavy." She protested, moving to get down but finding he wouldn't let her.

"You weigh nothing, such a tiny thing as you." He said with a laugh. "I'll be fine. Now rest." He gently ordered, kissing her once more and watching as she sighed contentedly before laying her head against his shoulder and promptly falling asleep. He stared at her for a moment, all his doubts about that they had done returning. She had wanted it, it was true, and had even said she did not regret it, but would she feel that way when she woke? And what would he do when she re-took the throne and married some prince, as he was certain she still would. He pondered all of this as he walked. Night was just beginning to fall when Eric felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Stopping, he quickly woke Snow, put her on her feet, glad to see they supported her once more, and took out his axe, preparing for a battle. He didn't expect the low blow that came, a blade hitting his leg, enough to hurt but not truly injure him. He looked for his assailant and found it to be a dwarf who did not even quite come up to his waist.

"What…?" He mumbled, pushing the man away instead of attacking. The man, however, had other plans for not only did he come at the Huntsman again, but he brought his friends, all eight of them setting upon them. Eric did what he could to protect Snow but with eight against one and these being opponents he'd never fought before, it wasn't that easy.

"Leave him!" Snow cried when they managed to push Eric to the ground, one of them hitting him over the head, knocking him out. "No Eric!" She tried to reach him but the dwarves didn't allow it, two of them easily subduing her and binding her hands while the others dragged Eric to the nearest tree and bound him to it. The blow to Eric's head must not have been too hard for he awoke quite fast, looking frantically to Snow and seeing they were both at the dwarves mercy.

"Well this is our lucky day." One of the dwarves said. Eric turned his attention to him and groaned. "The hedge-pig I loathe most in the world lands right in our lap."

"Come on Beith." He said, apparently knowing this dwarf. "Is this how you treat a friend?"

"No, no, no, you puttock." Beith answered, approaching him. "This is how I treat a 'friend.' " He hit Eric with the blunt side of his sword, laughing when the Huntsman groaned.

"Eric!" Snow could help but gasp.

"She's pretty." One of the dwarves said of her, drawing the others' attention.

"And who is this?" Beith asked, looking to Snow. "Is this an errant apprentice or captive? Or whore?" He turned back to the Huntsman and wagged his eyebrows. "For if she is-"

"She's not a whore!" Eric barked, fighting against his bonds and nearly succeeding in breaking them. "And if you lay even one finger on her…" He let his threat stand, knowing Beith well enough for the dwarf for know any threats he made while not piss drunk were never hollow.

"This man is helping me." Snow interjected, ignoring Beith's crudeness and hoping to diffuse the situation.

"We should kill them both." A third dwarf suggested.

"Yeah, he's caused us nothing but trouble." Another agreed, the others not far behind.

"Skewer him and leave her to rot. I don't like killing girls."

"I do." The third one returned.

"Oh, good."

"Leave her alone Duir!" A dwarf who'd stood in the background, his face covered by a mask, ordered.

"He's got nothing." The dwarf that had gone to search Eric announced. "One silver coin and an empty codpiece." Which he then threw at Eric.

"Two days we sat here." Duir said. "What for? Nothing!" He hit the Huntsman with a stick. "We should have stayed by the river. What a waste of time!"

"Cut us lose Beith." Eric said. "I have gold I can pay you. It's just not here, it's hidden back in the woods." Neither Beith nor the other dwarves believed him. They began bickering amongst themselves, the Huntsman yelling alongside them trying to get them to set him and Snow free. For her part, Snow was practically forgotten as they bickered, but she wasn't going to allow that to stand and so whistled piercingly, making them all stop.

"Tell them the truth Eric. There's no time." She said. Eric raised an eyebrow at her thinking that they'd had no time about an hour ago either, yet that hadn't stopped them from coming together, but he refrained from actually saying that.

"I have to take her to Hammond's." He settled on half the truth. "She's not safe here."

"Well my little heart bleeds for you." One dwarf sneered before turning to his companions. "We should chop them up and feed them to the wolves." The dwarves all agreed but Beith knew there was something Eric wasn't telling them.

"Who is she?" He asked.

"She's worth a lot of gold to me." He replied, feeling the need to dart his eyes to Snow to ensure she knew he did not mean it, not anymore. "Which I am happy to share with you stupid little dwarves-" They didn't take too kindly to that and began beating him once more.

"Gold is worth nothing to any one of you if you are all dead!" Snow yelled, getting them to stop hitting her Huntsman. "The Queen's men hunt us! They're very close!"

"Shut up." They didn't believe her.

"You have love for the Queen?" She guessed, though apparently wrong.

"We have no love for the Queen." Beith spat out.

"Then you fight against her?" Eric wondered where she was going with this. He didn't trust these dwarves.

"No one fights against the Queen." Duir told her.

"We lost everything when the King died." One of them added. "We fight only for ourselves!"

"My father was King Magnus." She told them. Their disbelief didn't come immediately, for while the Queen being after you was a common excuse, being the King's daughter had yet to be heard.

"Muir…?" Beith muttered, turning to the dwarf with the mask, who finally removed it, revealing an old blind man. "Does she speak the truth."

"Yes." He said. "She is of the blood. She is destined, Beith." The dwarves were in shock, though none of them doubted Muir. "I see an end to the darkness." Anything else that might be said was interrupted as a horse whined not far off.

"Riders!" Duir called.

"They found us!" Snow said. "Cut us lose or we'll all be killed. Please!"

"I don't like this Beith, it smells like trouble." Duir said.

"You'll have your weight in gold if you free us, I give you my word!"

"Shut up Princess." One of them muttered.

"Queen's riders! And they're coming this way!" The riders could now be seen through the trees.

"We'll take her but not him." Beith decided, getting to dwarves to haul Snow to her feet and begin to pull her away, leaving Eric tied to the tree.

"What?!" Snow cried. "No!" She began to cry and struggle in earnest, two dwarves no longer being enough to handle her as she fought to get back to Eric. "No, please! Please don't leave him! I'll do anything!" Beith looked to her seeing the tears streaming down her face.

"Oh hell!" He growled, unable to see her so sad for some unknown reason. "Bring him!" He ordered finally. "And hurry!" The dwarves did as he said, clearly he was their leader, and cut the Huntsman loose, pulling him along to a wall of vines where Snow and the other dwarves had already disappeared. The vines proved to be hiding not a wall of stone but a cavern which led a beautiful forest filled with greenery and life, in stark contrast to the forest they'd just come from which had been almost entirely dead; it was as if Ravenna's evil had not reached this place. When they were far enough away from the cavern, and Ravenna's men, Eric pushed two dwarves, the two who had been leading Snow, aside and turned her towards him, looking her over for injury as he untied her, the dwarves having neglected to do so.

"You alright?" he asked quietly. Snow nodded and smiled at him in thanks as she rubbed her wrists where they were red from the coarse rope. Eric then sent a look, he managed only a half glare, at Beith before continuing on, keeping Snow close. They passed by all sorts of creatures, both magical and not, though they were all magical to Snow and Eric, neither of them having seen such life in many years.

"Blasted fairy music." Duir muttered as indeed some tinkling chimes played together in some sort of tune could be heard.

"It seems you are wrong about fairy stories and good magic not being real." Snow shot at Eric, smiling to herself as she did.

"I learned that before now." He replied, a playful smirk on his face, though he was sure to be quiet and not draw the dwarves' attention. "Nearly two hours ago to be exact." Snow shot him a slightly incredulous look at his daring reference to their time together, but otherwise let it go.

"Where are we?" She directed to the dwarves instead, wanting to get off the current topic lest her blush give them away.

"They call it Sanctuary, my lady." Said the one who had called her pretty earlier. "It's the home of the fairies." Snow smiled as a fairy actually flew passed her and every man there who saw it felt themselves smiled alongside her, though they tried to hide it. They arrived at a clearing with large rocks that formed a rough circle with a fire pit in the middle. Beith told the others to set up camp while Snow, unable to help herself, explored in glee, smiling and laughing at every creature she came upon. It took forever for the camp to get set up for everyone kept looking up at her, her joy infectious. The camp though,did eventually get set up and Snow returned to help cook, though her skill was meagre at best. They officially met all the dwarves during this time instead of just hearing their names. Their eight dwarves were Beith, Muir, Gort, Nion, Duir, Gus, Coll and Quert. Beith was their leader while Muir was like a wise man, the oldest of them, and completely respected and trusted by them all. As night fell, a roaring fire was made and everyone sat comfortably around it, Snow and Eric feeling like this was heaven, not only was there soft grass to sleep on, but there was a warm fire and it wasn't raining. Gus began to play on a violin he had and the mood turned easy and calm, people talking quietly or simply sitting there enjoying the night. Snow and Eric were sitting apart, not wanting to draw attention to themselves, and following that end, and also her own desire to speak to him, Snow got up and went over to Muir.

"That seat's not taken, if that's what you were about to ask." He said as she approached.

"I want to thank you." She murmured.

"It's only a log." He laughed. "There's no need to thank me."

"No, for before. For defending me."

"Your father was a good man. The kingdom prospered. Our people prospered."

"There were more of you." She said sadly, realizing they were the last of the dwarves in all the kingdom.

"Yeah, the men you see before you, and many many more, used to go down into the caves." Gort added. "We were noble gold miners because we could see the light in the darkness. When we returned to the surface, there was nothing. The land was blackened. Everything, everyone was gone. Was dead." Snow felt her heart break a little bit hearing that. To do down into the caves with things were light, then to return to darkness and death must have been terrible.

"That was the month your father died." Muir said.

"I am so sorry."

"As am I, Princess. As am I. Son, play a happy song." He directed to Quert who began to sing, Duir joining him. Snow smiled softly at them before turning to face Gus who had come over.

"I know I'm a bit gicky," He said. "But, would you care for a dance?"

"I'd be honoured Gus." Her smile turned genuine and she accepted his hand as he led her to the other end of the fire, which was clear. The two began to dance, what dance no one knew, but they seemed to be having fun.

"So what's in it for you?" Beith asked the Huntsman as he came up to him, sitting next to him.

"What' are you talking about?" Eric asked.

"I'm talking about the girl." He said as if it was obvious. "Is it really just the gold?" The two men stared at her as she danced and feeling eyes on her Snow turned their way, smiling at both of them, though it reached her eyes when they landed on her Huntsman. "Well I think that answers that question."

"If I'd had any sense I'd have abandoned her long ago." Eric said, trying to redirect the conversation.

"Muir says she's destined." Beith allowed the change for now. "Question is, Huntsman, for what?"

"For greatness." He answered truthfully. Beith left him then and the evening wound down shortly after. Snow came and sat by him, spending the rest of the night by his side and giving her a logical explanation for making her bed there as well, much to Eric's amusement, though he was by no means complaining.

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**A/N - I know I'm probably moving things a bit fast with their relationship, but...**

**Review please!**


	3. White Hart's Blessing

_Disclaimer: I do not own Snow White & The Huntsman.  
_

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**Chapter 3 – White Hart's Blessing**

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Eric awoke the next morning to Snow shifting beneath his arm, realizing then that he had wrapped it around her at some point in the night.

"Sleep." He murmured, tightening his grip around her.

"Eric look!" She cried quietly, pointing to a nearby stump where two fairies stood, gazing at Snow. They motioned for her to follow them and took off. Snow didn't hesitate in following, walking through the forest after them, taking in all life that came out to greet her.

"Snow!" Eric cried more loudly, waking the dwarves as he scrambled after her. "You can't just go off on your own!" The cry of an animal was heard throughout the forest, fully waking those to whom sleep still clung.

"Father? What was that? Father?" Quert asked.

"I know, son, I know." Muir answered. "It's him." The dwarves went to follow the Huntsman who was not letting Snow out of his sight, determined to reach her before something happened to her. They walked through a denser clump of trees before coming out at what must be the centre of Sanctuary. A tree, larger then any other around it, stood in the centre, surrounded by a pool of water on which stood a majestic white stag, his antlers larger then any Eric had ever seen, and he'd seen many a stag on his hunts. Snow stopped for but a moment before continuing on, making her way over to the stag, stepping on rocks just below the water's surface.

"No, no, no, no Huntsman." Beith said, holding Eric back when he made to move closer. "No one's ever seen this before."

"Why?" Eric asked. "What is it?"

"White Hart." Muir answered. "He is the soul of Sanctuary, he is what keeps this place alive and full of light though the Queen's darkness has spread everywhere else." They watched as Snow approached White Hart, the stag taking the final step towards her to close the distance and bending his head to her. Snow brought her hand up rested it atop his head, feeling the softness of his fur, and the hope that filled her the longer she was in his presence. After a moment Snow removed her hand and White Hart took a step back, far enough to bend his knee and bow his head before her without hitting her with his giant antlers.

"White Hart…bows before the Princess, father." Quert told him, awe evident in his voice.

"He's blessing her."

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked, still not truly understanding the magnitude of what was happening.

"You have eyes, Huntsman, but you do not see. You, who have been with her the longest. She is life itself. She will heal the land. She is the one."

"No. I knew that." He all but breathed, for he had. He knew she was special, that there was something that drew him to her, that drew everyone to her, though he had not been able to put it into words until now when he realized the Muir was right.

"Can you not feel it?" The elderly dwarf continued. "Are your ailments not gone? Gold or no gold, where she leads, I follow."

"Aye." Gus was quick to agree. "I'm with you."

"Yes, father." Quert quickly agreed as well, the other dwarves doing the same. The peaceful, wonderful moment, however, did not last. Just as Snow reached up once more, an arrow zoomed into the clearing, hitting White Hart dead on.

"No!" Snow cried, reaching for the stag, wanting to help it.

"Ambush!" The dwarves cried, as Quert got his father to safety before joining the others in defending their Princess.

"Snow!" Eric yelled, rushing to her side and yanking her back. "We must go! There's nothing you can do!" Snow hesitated another moment, long enough to see White Hart burst into a thousand white butterflies, the soul of Sanctuary taking another form as this one was lost. She then allowed the Huntsman to lead her away, Gus following for added protection. The dwarves took on a few of Finn's men as the Queen's brother himself appeared on horseback, charging Snow and Eric down.

"Go that way!" Eric told Snow, wanting her to get away.

"No, Eric I won't leave you!" She replied, grabbing on to his arm only for Eric to yank it away.

"You must!" He said and on impulse he leaned down and quickly kissed her. "I love you." He murmured. "You must live. For me. Now go!" he wasted no more time and pushed her in one direction, Gus leading her away, while Eric went in another direction, taking Finn on. While Snow and Gus were not pursued by the Queen's brother, two of his men did follow them, though one of them put a sword through the other, intent on reaching Snow himself. He rode up behind them, reaching down as he neared, intending to scoop Snow up onto the horse without even stopping. He had not counted on Snow turning at the last moment, grabbing his arm and yanking him off his horse, giving Gus a chance to kill him.

"No, it's me! It's William!" The man cried, holding his hands up in defense and looking at Snow. "It's William." He repeated. Snow didn't know whether to believe him or not, but her attention was diverted as a piercing roar sounded throughout the forest. Snow's head whipped to the side in time to see her Huntsman fall to Finn's blade.

"Eric!" She shrieked, forgetting all about the man who claimed to be her childhood friend and rushing to his side. "Eric!" She cried again as she dropping to her knees and cradling his head between her hands, placing it on her lap. "Eric please! Open your eyes…don't leave me." She sobbed.

"I told you to run." He muttered groggily, obviously injured, but thankfully not dead.

"Ah, Princess." Finn said in a mocking tone as he approached. "You've made this quite easy for me. I must thank you for that." Snow didn't even look up at him, knowing she was about to die and only caring that she spent her last moments with Eric. She closed her eyes and lay her had on his chest, protecting his head with her body.

"I love you." She whispered, prepared for the blow, though it never came. Instead, Finn cried out and Snow's head shot up to see Gus had rushed him with his sword in hand. The blow was not fatal, having merely slashed his hip, but an arrow, fired by William quickly followed, hitting Finn square in the chest. Still though, it appeared the Finn would live, his sister's dark magic sustaining him, and so Eric, finding the strength to get up, shoved Finn backwards into a broken tree, it's trunk having splintered into spikes. They pierced his body, damaging it beyond repair, though he begged his sister to heal him with his dying breath. When he was gone, the Huntsman turned back towards Snow and fell to the ground beside her, the two practically falling into each other's arms.

"I thought I'd lost you." Snow sobbed.

"I'm still here." He replied.

"I knew there was something going on between you two." Beith said as the other dwarves joined them.

"Shut up Beith." Eric growled, though it was noted that he didn't deny it. The group stayed there for a moment, catching their breath and checking for injuries beyond minor scrapes and bruises. So sure were they that with Finn gone the immediate danger was passed that they didn't expect one of his men to still be alive.

"Arrow!" Gus yelled, seeing the man notch it on his bow and release it. The arrow headed directly for Snow and before even Eric could react to protect her, Gus had jumped in front of it, taking the arrow for her. William reacted seconds after, knocking off his own arrow and taking out the man before he could do anything else, but the harm was already done.

"Gus!" Snow cried, leaning over him with worried eyes as she took in the arrow that protruded from his stomach, having hit him the back and been pushed through when he fell on to it. "Gus breathe." She urged as he gasped in pain. She knew, as they all did, that there was nothing that could be done, the arrow's location seeing to that, and all they could do was see that he didn't die alone. Tears streamed down Snow's face as he finally calmed down, accepting his fate.

"I won't leave you, miss." He said. Snow nodded in agreement and watched in sorrow as he closed his eyes for the last time. She cried over his body for a bit before allowing Eric to pull her to him and continued to sob on his shoulder as he merely held her.

"We used to have pride." Gort said sometime later as they prepared Gus for burial. "And now we just pilfer and drink and…dream about when we didn't. Every man here would die for the chance of becoming that man again. So we follow you, Princess." Snow looked up from where she still rested in Eric's arms, her tears having run dry, though her sorrow had not abated. "In life, and in death. And we shall have our pride again." He gently took Gus' sword and handed it hilt first to Snow. "On Gus' soul, this I swear."

"I don't want anyone else to die. Not for me." She said, taking the sword and holding it close.

"That be just one of the reasons we follow you." Coll said, speaking for the first time in either defense or praise of her. Snow said no more but nodded and leaned back against Eric once more, allowing the dwarves to take care of Gus. They began building a large funeral pyre, neither Snow nor Eric offering to help, knowing they wanted to do this on their own for their friend, even blind Muir did what he could. It was during this time that William made his presence known again.

"Snow." He said, coming up beside her and Eric.

"And who are you supposed to be?" Eric asked, not having paid this man much, if any, attention, for he knew that if he was a threat the dwarves would have dealt with him already.

"I'm William." He answered, already not liking this Huntsman. "Duke Hammond's son. And an old friend of the Princess'."

"Is it really you William?" Snow now asked, though she made no move to stand from Eric's arms, a fact he was very pleased about.

"Yes."

"Prove it." Eric demanded, not about to trust this guy just because he said he was the Duke's son.

"Do you remember the day we found that bird in the forest?" He directed to Snow, ignoring Eric. "The one with the injured wing? You insisted on carrying it all the way back to the castle and caring for it. I had no objections to that, but you insisted on telling your parents that you found it in the forest when we were not supposed to have left the castle grounds. You could have said you found it in the garden or something, but you refused, you hated lying. After, we went to the old apple tree in the courtyard where I got us both apples, for I knew father would send me to bed without supper for disobeying him, and the King, by taking you with me."

"You always were the one for mischief." Snow said with a small smile. "I was quite content to follow the rules."

"Yes." He laughed at that, glad to see that she believed him. "You were, but I felt it my duty to break you out of your perfect little shell."

"I was far from perfect."

"Au contraire, dear Princess." He replied. "You were perfect in the eyes of your parents, your people…me."

"Why were you riding with the Queen's men?" Eric asked suddenly, not liking the adoring look he gave Snow when he said that.

"To find you." Once again he ignored Eric. "For ten years we thought you dead, we were told all those in the castle that night perished. Then word comes that you are alive…I knew she would send men after you. I tracked them down and knew they'd lead me right to you…I had to find you. But it seems I wasn't the first one to do so." He finally looked to Eric, giving the Huntsman a withering look.

"Eric has saved my life more times then I can count in the last few days." She defended him, not liking the look William had given him. "He was, is, helping me reach your father's castle."

"Ah, I see." He said as if it all made sense now. "How much did you promise him?" He reached over and brought out his purse from under his coat. "I have coin on me. I can pay him and he can be on his way."

"I'm not leaving her." Eric growled before Snow could say something.

"You have done your job, and I thank you for it, the people thank you for it. But I am here now, I shall look after her."

"Listen here-"

"Stop it!" Snow cried. "Both of you just stop! William, I am glad to see you again after all these years, but you cannot come in here and start ordering people about. Eric goes nowhere. Unless he wants to of course." She amended.

"Not bloody likely." He muttered, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"And you," She directed to him. "Stop being so antagonistic. And jealous." She added before getting up and going to join Muir.

"I don't know what you're playing at." William said once Snow was out of earshot. "It is clear that the dwarf is right and something is going on between you two. I only hope you have not done something she will regret later on when she ascends the throne. She will need a proper husband one day, after all, to continue on her line, produce the next heir."

"And you expect that person to be you." Eric stated.

"Whether it is or isn't is irrelevant if she is disgraced."

"She could _never_ be disgraced." Eric snarled, turning to face the shorter man dead on. "I don't care what your high born laws say about a woman when she marries. She could never be _disgraced._" He spat the last word out, letting William know exactly how he felt on the subject.

"So you have had her." The nobleman said. "I should run now, Huntsman. When my father hears how you have defiled the Princess he will see you hanged. She is not for the likes of you."

"She seduced me." Eric returned, no longer caring if they hid anything.

"Yeah right. I don't believe-"

"I don't care what you bloody well believe. You can say you know her, and if this was ten years ago you'd be right, but you know her as a child, _I_ know her as a woman, a woman who spent ten years locked in a tower. And let me assure you that that woman knows what she wants and isn't going to stand for pointless protests, no matter how many times I said exactly what you did. But I'll not be running anywhere. Fate brought us together and I'll not be abandoning her now. And if your father wants to put a noose around my neck you can be sure he'll have to go through her to do it." That was Eric's final word on the subject, and he walked off, going to join Snow. Night fell and they lit the fire beneath Gus, watching as the flames licked at him and slowly turned him to ash, making him one with the earth. Quert began to sing and they all allowed themselves this final night of grief before they moved on in the morning, knowing they must move through their grief, though their sorrow would never leave them. When morning came they set out, walked all day long, even when the rain fell, thankful only that it was rain now, and not snow.

"I'm sorry I left you." William said as he caught up with Snow, who for once was not walking next to Eric, giving William the opportunity to speak with her.

"You didn't." She assured him.

"If I'd ever thought you were alive, I would have come for you."

"We were children, William. You're here now." She smiled softly at him and continued on, allowing Eric to help her across a stream, and once again stayed close to him. Although it had rained all day, that rain turned to snow as night grew closer, giving the ground a soft blanket of it by the time they made camp. Eric had given Snow his oversized coat to use as a blanket, which she had only taken after he promised to join her and make use of it as well when his first watch was over. With everyone knowing there was something between them, even if only William knew to what extent, he obliged her. He wasn't alone though, for his watch, William joined him by the fire not long after Snow fell asleep.

"Here." Eric said, offering him a water pouch. The two had reached an uneasy truce since the other night, and William would be damned if he was the one to break it.

"I may only have known the child she once was but she hasn't changed." William spoke. "She has that same light inside her." Eric nodded, knowing only too well what he was talking about. "I thought about her every day since I lost her. I can hardly believe I found her."

"She's glad to have you back in her life." Eric said.

"But you're not glad I'm back."

"I'm happy if she's happy." He replied. "But don't expect me to give her up without a fight." Eric stood then, handing the watch over to William before going to join Snow. She awoke as he arrived and smiled at him, lifting his coat so he could climb under before snuggling up against him. Eric knew it was a bit cruel to join her now, knowing William was watching, but he couldn't find it in him to care too much. There was certainly going to be a battle between him and the Duke's son, and he didn't have the advantage of being a duke's son, so he would gladly use the advantage of clearly being her choice. It was still snowing the following morning when Snow awoke. Like before, Eric awoke at her movements, but she mumbled that she needed to relieve herself then would return, allowing him enough peace of mind to go back to sleep. Snow had barely made it into the tree line, wanting to get some distance away from camp, before she heard a twig snap.

"William." She greeted, relaxing upon seeing who it was. "It's as if nothing's changed here." She said, looking around the forest. "The world seems beautiful again."

"It will be." He answered. "When you are Queen. The people of this kingdom hate Ravenna with every fiber."

"I used to hate her." Snow admitted. "But now I feel only sorrow."

"Once people find out you're alive they will rise up in your name."

"It takes more then a name. And I don't want anyone to die in my name."

"You are your father's daughter, the rightful heir. If I had a choice, I'd take you far away." He said. "Keep you safe by my side. But I have a duty, and so do you."

"How do I inspire?" She asked. "I have not been a princess to these people. How will I lead men?"

"The way you led me when we were children." He answered. "I followed you everywhere. Ran when you called. I would have done anything for you."

"That's not how I remember it." She said. "We used to fight all the time. And argue." William smiled and pulled an apple out from behind his back, holding it out to her. She grabbed it quickly and jumped away, a smile forming on her own face.

"Do you remember that trick?" She asked, bringing the apple to her lips.

"What trick?" She heard the question too late, having bit into the apple already. She began to feel weird, her airway closing, her head spinning. She backed away from William who had gained a cold expression as he advanced on her.

"You see, child, love always betrays us." He said. Snow fell to the ground, trying as hard as she could to get air into her lungs. William knelt down beside her, but he wasn't William for long. His head began to jerk and he slowly morphed into her greatest enemy.

"By fairest blood it was done." Ravenna said. "And only by fairest blood, can it be undone. You were the only one who could break the spell and destroy me." She leaned over Snow, bringing their faces close together as she gloated. "And the only one pure enough to save me. You don't even realize how lucky you are never to know what it is like to grow old." She removed a knife she'd had hidden away and raised it high, preparing to stab Snow and take her heart, but it wasn't meant to be.

"No!" Eric yelled as she and the true William came upon them. Ravenna stood and morphed into a horde of crows, taking off without her prize, but before they could end her life, for in her weakened state, it was entirely possible.

"No!" Eric cried again once she was gone, rushing to Snow's side and moving to cradle her head in his lap as she had done to him. "Snow, Snow please." He said. Her life was fast leaving her, that was clear, but still she managed to turn her eyes towards him and tell him, though she could not speak the words aloud, that she loved him. It was her last act, but it at least brought her peace knowing she died in the arms of the one she loved. "No!" He roared and began to sob as his head fell forwards and he clung to her desperately.

"Don't just stand there!" William yelled to the dwarves who had followed the sound of battle. "Your dwarves, healers. Help her, save her!"

"No, this cannot be." Muir muttered. No one was unaffected by her death, they all mourned her, though none more so then Eric who was quite inconsolable. No one knew how much time had passed as they sat there in their grief, but it was long enough for the sun to fully rise.

"We must get to my father's castle." William said at last. "Give her a proper burial, allow her people to see her once more." With no other option available to them, for none of them would run or leave her, even in death, they all agreed. Eric rose to his feet as if in a trance and cradled her body in his arms.

"I'll carry her." He said.

"You can't carry her all the way. It's at least another day's walk." William chided, though it was gently done.

"She's naught but a feather. I won't let her go." They began walking and the castle must have been closer then William had thought for they reached it shortly before nightfall. William walked in the front, speaking to the sentries and the guards who met them on the road and at the castle gates. They rode ahead to inform his father that he returned with the Princess, but that it was too late. When they entered the castle courtyard, Duke Hammond, and every other man, woman and child that currently called the castle home was there to catch a glimpse of their Princess, whom they'd all thought dead, and now truly was. It was Beith who convinced Eric to part with her to allow maids to dress and groom her for a proper lying in state, but he waited in the great hall for her, never leaving as the hundreds of people there came to pay their respects. He'd once again gotten piss drunk, and it was only when they were alone that he felt drunk enough to say his own goodbye.

"Well, here you are. All dressed up, like you're about to wake up and give me more grief. Am I right? You deserved better." He finally stood from his spot against the wall and threw his tankard away, hearing the satisfying clank as it fell against the stone floor. "I once had a wife, Princess. Sara was her name. When I came back from the wars, I carried with me the stench of death and the anger of the lost. I wasn't worth saving, that's for sure. But she did so anyway. And I loved her so much. I loved her more then anyone and anything, and then I let her out of my sight and she was gone. And I became myself again, a self I never cared for. Until you." His tears fell freely now as he approached her, cupping her cold face with his hand. "You brought me out again, your heart, your spirit, it latched on and it wouldn't let go. I'd given up this time around. This faint hope I had before was gone completely but you brought it back. That's what you do, Snow, you bring light where there is none, and I love you for it. But now you, too, have gone. You deserved better, and I'm so sorry I failed you. I'm so sorry. But you'll be a queen in heaven now and sit among the angels." Leaning down, he brought his lips to hers in one last kiss before forcing himself from the room. Had he stayed but a moment longer he would have heard the intake of breath as life once more coursed through she who had been dead. Eric had joined the dwarves after leaving Snow's side and sad in a near comatose state right alongside them, though their leader tried to care for them as he always had.

"Eat." Beith told him, pushing a bowl of some stew in his direction.

"I'm not hungry." Eric replied.

"I wasn't asking if you were. I was telling you to eat. You haven't eaten all day." If Beith, of all people, was trying to care for him, of all people, then Eric knew he must be in bad shape; Beith had a heart, but it was hardened to all save his fellow dwarves.

"Since when do you care for me Beith?" He grumbled, though did as instructed. He paused momentarily as a dull roar of the assembled crowd was heard, though he paid no more attention to it.

"We all need someone to care for us Huntsman." Beith answered. "And since your Princess isn't here to do it anymore…"

"A-are you sure about that?" Coll asked, raising a shaking hand and pointing towards the castle doors. A small figure, dressed all in white with flowing black hair was emerging and Eric swore he had died between the time he left the great hall and arrived here, for it was the only explanation for why he was seeing her alive again. All stood on shaky legs and stumbled towards her, joining the gathered crowd as they parted to allow her to meet up with Duke Hammond.

"The spell is lifted." Muir said.

"Spell, father?" Quert asked.

"Yes. I shall explain after." Snow was about to speak and none wanted to miss it.

"Death has favoured you." The Duke told her.

"Death favours no man. We must ride, like thundering waves under the tattered banner flag of my father."

"You must rest." The Duke countered. "By God you are alive when moments ago you were dead. You cannot be running across the kingdom!"

"We have rested long enough." Snow replied firmly, leaving the Duke's side and moving to address the crowd as a whole. "Iron will melt." She started. "But it will writhe inside of itself! All these years all I've known is darkness. But I have never seen a brighter light than when my eyes just opened. And I know that light burns in all of you! Those embers must turn to flame. Iron into sword! I will become your weapon! Forged by the fierce fire that I know is in your hearts! For I have seen what she sees. I know what she knows. I can kill her. And I'd rather die today than live another day of this death! And who will ride with me? Who will be my brother?"

"AYE!" The entire assembly cried with no hesitation. Then all together as one, every man, woman and child there bended the knee and bowed before their Princess, pledging to follow her wherever she went.

"Then we must prepare." She said, turning back to the Duke. "May I trust you in this your grace?" She asked, reverting, surprisingly easily, back to courtly manners.

"Of course, your highness." He answered and immediately got down to work, setting men to the task at hand and dispersing the crowd, though he himself returned to Snow's side, wanting, needing, to discuss things with her and discover how she had survived when she'd assuredly been dead. Though he returned intent on a discussion, Snow's attention was on someone else entirely. As the crowd parted, she laid eyes on her Huntsman who'd remained on his knees, unable to find the strength to get up, so in shock was he.

"Eric…" She murmured, slowly approaching him, but quickly giving that up and rushing to him instead. Eric's legs found their strength when they saw her about to jump in his arms, and quickly stood, catching her properly instead of being bowled over. It was her who initiated the kiss that shocked those who had straggled behind or still milled about in the courtyard, but neither could truly find it in them to care.

"Dear God…you're alive!" He whispered into her hair as he held her close.

"Thanks to you." Eric looked at her questioningly. "I don't know how, but I heard you, I heard you speak to me. And then when your lips touched mine it was as if a veil had been lifted, I drew breath again."

"How is that possible?" William asked.

"The kiss of true love." Muir answered. All turned towards him, most trusting his words implicitly while others would follow Snow's lead when it became obvious that she was one of them. "The Princess is destined, I have said it before. It is what led White Hart to bless her."

"White Hart?" The Duke asked. "The legendary soul of the fairies' forest?"

"Not so much a legend, but real." Gort said.

"It is true." William corroborated. "I saw it."

"White Hart's power is strong." Muir continued. "He must have known the Queen would try something devious. Whatever the Queen did to you, Princess, it was meant to kill you, but White Hart's power gave you another chance. His power is pure and true, and there is nothing more pure then true love."

"So his kiss saved her?" Hammond asked, still uncertain.

"Well, his love did." Muir amended. "Perhaps she would have been saved without the kiss itself, but we cannot be certain."

"So what does that mean?" Eric asked, not entirely sure if he trusted Muir this time around. It was one thing to say that Snow was destined, or life itself, that was plain to see for anyone who cared to look, but it was another to say that his love had saved her, that sounded far too much like a fairy story to him.

"Fairies are real." Snow whispered to him, knowing what he was thinking. "Why not too their stories?" Although he was still sceptical, he couldn't truly fight that logic.

"It means, Huntsman, that you are a part of the Princess' destiny. You were meant to be together." Muir answered, and Eric decided then and there that no matter how farfetched Muir's idea sounded, he'd believed it; he liked that answer too much to do otherwise.

"It seems we have some things to discuss." Duke Hammond said, though Snow instantly shook her head.

"There is no time. We must prepare to face Ravenna. Anything to be discussed can wait until after unless it pertains to the battle ahead. For now suffice it to say that if nothing else is true this is: Eric and I love each other, and we will be together. I will give my life for my kingdom, but I will not compromise on that." The dwarves smiled or smirked at her words, depending which one of them you were, liking that she had made her stance on this very clear. "Now we must prepare."

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**A/N - Ah the age old true loves kiss. Is there anything that stays that beautiful while still being that cheesy? **

**Review please!**


	4. By Fairest Blood

_Disclaimer: I do not own Snow White & The Huntsman._

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**Chapter 4 – By Fairest Blood**

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Hours later, just before the sun began to rise, the army rode out of Duke Hammond's castle, Snow leading them, with Eric, William, the Duke and the dwarves, save Muir, flanking her. They rode all day, picking up men as they went and arriving at the cliffs overlooking the castle a few hours before high tide, which itself was just before nightfall. Snow told them of how she'd escaped, through the sewers, and the dwarves volunteered to be the ones to go and open the portcullis. They waited nearly half an hour, in which strategy was further discussed, along with things that weren't quite strategy.

"Back from the dead not yet a day and already you're instigating the masses." Eric joked from his place beside Snow, who allowed herself a small smile. "You look very fetching in mail." He then whispered, getting a bigger reaction out of her.

"You say such a thing in close proximity to a man who was very much like a second father to me as a child, and who no doubt would not hesitate to run you through now?" Eric chuckled knowing she was joking, though while joking, he had to question how much of her joke wasn't actually true.

"We must ride." Snow said to Hammond instead of further following that line of conversation. "The portcullis will be open." The Duke nodded to her then to his Commander, who shouted the command. They took off down the cliffs, arriving at the beach then the castle gates not long after. The portcullis, however, was not open and that proved deadly to many men there. They did manage to get it open though, before their army was too decimated, allowing them to ride into the courtyard and take on Ravenna's men. Snow didn't hesitate or waste time with those men but immediately headed into the castle proper, closely followed by Eric and William who flanked her and took the lives she couldn't, still being unable to kill needlessly, and though this could not be called needless killing, for it was very much kill or be killed, Snow preferred to simply shove them aside, wound them if she had to, but otherwise let them have a chance at life. She made it into the castle and used her memory of playing in these corridors to wind her way to her father's old chambers. She was passing by a window when a black spec caught her eye. Looking up, she saw Ravenna staring down at her, seeing that she wasn't in her father's chambers, but atop the highest tower. Changing course, Snow made her way there, she, Eric and William meeting almost no resistance along the way as everyone was in the courtyard. At least, that was true until they arrived at the tower. Entering the chamber Snow had seen Ravenna in, they were met by a barrage of the dark soldiers her father had spoken of, those not made of flesh, but of dark magic. The soldiers parted to allow Snow to pass, but did not do the same for Eric or William, or the men Snow had not known had followed them. Ravenna stood at the centre of the second chamber, her back to Snow as she stared at a fire. But though her back was turned, she knew exactly when Snow approached and slowly turned to face her.

"Come." Ravenna spoke. "And avenge your father who was too weak to raise his sword." Snow faltered and allowed her anger to overcome her, charging Ravenna, only to be pushed back easily. It was not really a fight, Ravenna having her power and at least some fighting skill where everything Snow had learned she learned the other night. Ravenna had her trapped, her arm wrapped around her neck as she was told to watch her men, and her love, die.

"How does it feel? Knowing you were the one who led them to their deaths? You see? We are not that different, are we?"

"You're wrong there. I'm everything you're not." Snow replied. She tried again to even just touch Ravenna, but it was no use.

"You cannot defeat me!" She roared, entering the fire, much to Snow's horror as she watched the flames lick at Ravenna, burning her, though she appeared unharmed. "I've live too many lives. Ravaged entire kingdoms. I have been given powers that you could not even fathom! I will never stop. Never. I will give this wretched world, the queen it deserves." She stepped out of the fire, her burns disappearing, leaving her flesh as clear and flawless as it had been before. Snow attempted to reach her sword from where Ravenna had thrown her but she didn't succeed in time, Ravenna coming upon her and kicking her in the gut. "By fairest blood it is done!" She climbed atop Snow and raised a dagger high above her head, intending to bring it down into Snow's heart, but the Princess remembered back to Eric's first lesson and brought her arm up to block the attack. Then, reaching for her own dagger, always have a spare weapon being the second lesson she learned from Eric, She brought it up and thrust it into Ravenna's gut. Instantly Ravenna stopped, never having thought this outcome possible. Her dark soldiers, still battling Eric, William and the others crumbled as her power waned.

"And only by fairest blood is it undone." Snow said. Ravenna pulled the dagger out of her gut and began to age before Snow's eyes. She scrambled away from Snow who got to her feet and slowly approached until she stood in front of Ravenna, bending to her level and laying a hand atop her older woman's. While she knew it had to be done, Snow did not relish taking a life and wanted to offer comfort where she could.

"You can't have my heart." She whispered. Eric and William came up beside her, watching as Snow shed a tear as Ravenna took her last breath. The three stood there, staring at the old lady Ravenna had become for who knows how long until Eric spoke up and pulled Snow away.

"You must tell them Ravenna's dead." He said. "The fight in the courtyard must stop." Snow nodded and turned to go, those men that were left who fought the dark soldiers, of which there were too few, parting as she passed and following behind as her guard. They went to the lower balcony that overlooked the courtyard, the very one that her father had made many a speech or proclamation from.

"Stop!" She shouted far louder then she thought possible, though it was still hard to hear over the clang of sword against shield. Those closest, however, managed to hear her and looked up, her men smiling upon seeing her standing there, while Ravenna's men didn't know what to think. Those nearest her who stopped signalled the others and soon the battle came to an end as every man there, whether for good or ill, waited for Snow to speak. "Ravenna is dead!" Was the first thing out of her mouth, bringing about a great cheer, though those they'd been fighting remained silent. "Those of you who fought for her, whether through loyalty or fear, shall be pardoned should you lay down your swords this instant." She paused and waited to see if they would do as she said. Many did, though some tried to start the fight again and were quickly dealt with. Snow met Duke Hammond's eyes, glad to see he still lived, who then ordered his Commander to see to the prisoners. They may be pardoned, but each one would have to be spoken to individually to determine if that pardon would be a full and complete one, allowing them to even remain in the castle should they so choose, or if it merely extended to their life and they would then be exiled. "You have all fought bravely." She told her men once Ravenna's were led away. "The castle is in disarray, but we shall have what food is available brought to the great hall before you may all seek your beds. You have done the kingdom a great service this day and it shall not be forgotten. Thank you all." The men gave a cheer, both for their Princess and for the end of Ravenna, and Snow chose that moment to bow out.

"You were wonderful." William told her. Snow smiled her thanks before clasping hands with Eric and heading back into the castle. Not knowing where else to go Snow headed towards her childhood room. Along the way, however, they were met by a face Snow recognized.

"Greta!" She cried, seeing the woman who had been brought in to keep Ravenna young on the day Snow escaped. They hadn't had much time to talk, and Snow had truthfully thought she would have been dead by now, but was so glad she wasn't.

"Your highness!" Greta returned, seeing who it was. When they neared each other Snow embraced the other woman, who had regained her youth and beauty upon Ravenna's death, much to her shock.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Snow murmured.

"T-thank you, your highness." She stuttered.

"You'll learn soon that she doesn't stand on ceremony." Eric informed Greta, who smiled at them.

"You're free now Greta, please stay the night as my guest and I shall see you escorted home in the morning." Snow said. Greta's smile turned sad at that and Snow wondered what she'd said wrong.

"Nothing, your highness." Greta assured her. "It is only that I no longer have a home to go to. The Queen…the _former_ Queen's men burned my village and killed all who weren't taken like I was."

"I'm so sorry."

"You're too kind, your highness."

"Not kind enough." Snow muttered. "Greta if you have nowhere to go then stay here at the castle, permanently. I'll see you taken care of, you'll have everything you need and you'll always have a home here."

"Y-your highness…" She breathed unbelievably.

"I mean it Greta." She thought about it for a minute before coming to a decision.

"If I stay I work."

"Greta that is unnecessa-"

"Please, your highness, I wouldn't feel right living on your charity when I am able bodied and young…again. I'm a decent cook, I'm sure I could be of use in the kitchen, or I'm right good with fixing hair should none of your lady's maids be able to."

"I don't have any." Greta started at that.

"You don't have a lady's maid?"

"Not much call for one locked in a cell." Here Greta flinched, realizing her mistake.

"I'm so sorry your highness, I meant no offense."

"It is alright, really."

"Well, then I shall be your lady's maid till you find one that pleases you." She said. "We'll start by getting you out of that armour and having a bath drawn."

"Really, Greta, you don't-"

"Please your highness, I will hear no more about spending my days lazing in a castle with nothing to do, it wouldn't suit me. Now either send me on my way or direct me to the royal chambers so I may help you bathe and dress properly." Snow merely pointed down the corridor in the direction they were headed when they met up with Greta. The new lady's maid nodded and began walking at a brisk pace, leaving behind one shocked and two amused people.

"Well, I need not worry about you with her around." Eric said.

"I think she'll suit perfectly." William agreed. "Humble and kind, yet won't take any nonsense. She's exactly the kind of woman you need around you at the moment." Snow nodded, still unable to form words.

"Your highness, which way?" Greta called from a spot in the corridor which forked off right and left. Snow snapped out of it and ran to catch up with Greta, leading her the rest of the way and leaving behind William and her Huntsman who had finally burst out laughing.

**oo00o0o00oo**

As night fell, Snow retreated to her bed but sleep would not claim her. She'd spent ten years on a hard cot with one thin blanket and the last few nights on forest floors with Eric and now she had a large soft bed with thick warm blankets. It didn't feel right, and she was not ashamed to admit it was her missing Huntsman that left her awake, not the unfamiliar comfort. Duke Hammond had all but kept Eric prisoner when Snow had gotten tired and decided to retreat from the hall and go to bed. He knew the Huntsman meant to follow her and purposefully kept Eric in the hall, enlisting William to help him, before seeing Eric personally to his own room, ensuring he knew guards would be prowling the halls, the unspoken message being that they had orders to keep him from Snow's room; she had not been kidding when she'd said the Duke was like a second father to her, and in the absence of her own, was her only father figure, one who was quite determined to protect her virtue, unaware she'd already given it to them. While the guards had orders to keep Eric from Snow's room, they did not have orders to keep her from his, and so where quite at a loss of what to do when their Princess, in the middle of the night and clad only in an old dressing gown of her mother's Greta had found, asked them to point out Eric's room. Snow had decided it was futile to try and sleep alone, and knowing Eric not having come to her meant he was being prevented from doing so, she'd decided to go in search of him.

"He's down that hall." One of them answered, pointing to the hall on her left. "Last door on the right, your highness." Snow thanked them and moved on down the hall.

"Should we have told her that?" The other guard asked his companion.

"The Duke said to keep him from her not her from him."

"Isn't that the same thing though? The point I think is he wanted to keep them apart." The guards were not stupid, they knew what was going on and that the Duke would be most displeased with them, but they had an iron clad excuse.

"She's the Princess and soon to be Queen." The one who'd pointed Snow in the right direction said. "What are we gonna do? Say no to her?" His companion couldn't fight that. It was one thing to say no to the Huntsman, quite another to the Princess.

"We'll have to tell the Duke in the morning though." Was said as the two moved on.

"I get the feeling that won't be necessary." As the guards discussed the right or wrong of it, Snow quietly entered Eric's room, being met with a fully awake Huntsman.

"Snow…" he breathed, jumping from his bed and rushing to meet her, pulling her to him when she met him halfway.

"I couldn't sleep." She murmured into his chest, feeling better already now that she was with him. "Not without you."

"Nor I without you. I would have come but the Duke has set guards to stop me."

"I know. I met them on the way, they told me which room was yours."

"Why would they do that if the Duke told them not to?"

"Because I am me." She answered plainly. "I am their Princess and outrank the Duke and they know that. It is one thing to stop a huntsman, another a princess." Her words, while not spoken out of any other intent then simply being informative, rang true with Eric and he gently pulled away from her.

"A huntsman and a princess." He muttered sadly. "Have you ever heard of anything more insane?"

"No." She answered, not letting him pull further away then to be able to look her in the eyes, knowing what he was getting at. "I will not let you think that way. We are meant to be together. The fact you woke me from Ravenna's spell is proof of that!"

"That doesn't change the fact that I am nothing but a lowly huntsman and you will soon be Queen."

"You wish to leave me?" She whispered after a moment. Eric's heart twisted at the heartbreak he heard in her voice and he lifted his arms to cup her face in both his hands.

"Never." He said, putting all his love for her in that one word. "I will never wish to leave you. And I never will until you send me away."

"That will never happen!" She assured him most fervently.

"But it will. No matter how much we wish to be together, no matter how much we believe we are meant to be together, the fact is that you will be Queen and one day you will need to marry some prince or noble and produce a royal heir. A huntsman doesn't fit into that anywhere."

"But you do! You fit in with me, and I with you!" The tears started to fall and Eric, unable to bear it, ended their conversation.

"I do not wish to leave you Snow, I just don't see how we can work." He kissed her then with the intent to simply comfort her but it quickly grew into something more. While he realized he would have to let her go one day, but today was not that day and they would bask in each other as long as they could. It was entirely inadvisable and they both knew it, but neither could find it in them to care.

The guard's prediction that them telling the Duke would prove unnecessary turned out to be true. In the early hours of the morning Greta went to Snow's room to ensure all was ready before she awoke, only to discover the Princess was not in her bed. Not knowing about her and the Huntsman, and with Ravenna's defeat being so new and her supporters still being out there, Greta immediately panicked. She ran out of the room, intent on raising the alarm, but was quite luckily met by William and the Duke, both of whom had come to see the Princess.

"She's not there!" Greta all but wailed. "I went in to prepare her things for that day, I was in her outer chamber nearly an hour before I went to wake her only to find her not abed! If only I'd checked in on her I could have alerted the guard that much earlier! We must hurry to find her!"

"Greta calm down." William said, pulling the distraught girl into his arms, touched that she was so sincerely concerned for Snow having knowing her such a short time. "I'm certain she's fine. In fact I'm pretty sure we know where she is." He shared a look with his father, the older man nodding his agreement.

"You do?" Greta's head shot up and her expression turned from one of anguish to suspicion as she eyes the Duke's son. "You know where she is? And you said nothing but allowed me to continue to think the worst?!" Both Hammond and William chuckled at her abrupt change of demeanour and William said again that Greta was just the person they needed around at the moment. "Well don't just stand there! Lead me to her!" Greta demanded.

"Perhaps you should stay here." Hammond said, his expression sobering as he remembered where Snow most probably was; he didn't want gossip to get around if he was right. Greta merely raised her eyebrow at him. Duke or not, the Princess was in her charge and unless the royal herself sent her away she'd not be cowed when it came to her mistress.

"I don't think she's going to stay back, father." William said. "She will not gossip though." He added with absolute certainty. "We can trust her."

"Trust me with _what_?!" Greta was beginning to get agitated and the men got the distinct impression they wouldn't like her if she did and so began to lead the way to Eric's room.

"If she really is in here I'm going to wring those guards out by the neck." The Duke muttered as they reached the door.

"If she's in here instead of him being with her then they did their job." William countered. "They kept him from her but they could not say no to the Princess if she came to him." His father grumbled unhappily and opened the door. The three entered swiftly, not wanting to draw attention to any passers by, and Greta gasped when she looked to the large bed, which took up nearly the entire room, seeing Snow and the Huntsman sleeping soundly together.

"I'll kill him." Hammond growled, seeing that both were clearly naked under the sheets, the clothes strewn across the floor merely confirming it.

"It wouldn't be the first time." William admitted, feeling no need to keep it from his father now.

"What?!"

"They were together before she was returned to us, before I met up with them in the forest." Was all he said but it was enough.

"Alright up!" The Duke called, not caring how rudely they were awoken, not even Snow. The two startled and sat bolt upright, wondering what was going on. Snow squealed when she saw they had company and seemed to remember she was naked for she immediately grabbed the blanket up to her chin, Greta rushing over with her discarded dressing gown and helped her into it. "Make yourself decent, Huntsman." He added.

"He has a name!" Snow said sharply, not prepared to allow the Duke free reign here; she would not be separated from Eric. Hammond didn't even register she'd spoken, fully focused on the man in question.

"You've defiled the Princess!" He continued as Eric retrieved his breeches. "You've taken her against-"

"I _never _took her against her will." Eric said dangerously, whirling around to tower over the shorter man, daring him to call him a rapist.

"I should have you strung up-"

"Enough!" It was Snow this time who interrupted Hammond as she came between the two, pulling Eric away, his face still livid at the Duke's implication. She then turned to Hammond, her own face nowhere near calm, though it wasn't as thunderous as Eric's.

"Augustus let me be very, _very _clear on this," She addressed the Duke, leaving behind the strict formalities, though using his full name instead of the nickname of August she'd given him as a small child. "Eric did not rape me. He has never raped me, nor would he ever."

"I will vouch for him on that fact, father." William spoke up. "Whatever he and Snow have done, after only a few days being around him, I can swear to you it was not against her will. He is not a bad man. And he would move heaven and earth to protect her, or seek vengeance against any who did hurt her." Eric gave a small nod of thanks to William, not having expected his words, but thankful for them nonetheless.

"All the same-"

"All the same nothing." Snow interrupted again. "What Eric and I do behind closed doors is no ones business."

"There I will have to disagree with you." Hammond said. "You are the Princess, soon to be Queen. It is not proper. And I swore to your father, after the death of your mother, that should anything happen to him I would look after you as my own. I failed you in that for ten years, but I will fail you no longer."

"I welcome your love August." Snow said with a soft smile. "You were very much a second father to me, and I would welcome that relationship again, but things are different now, I am different. And I will not let anyone stand in the way of my being with Eric."

"You will be Queen." Hammond reminded her. "He is…" Here he trailed off, aware of Snow's raised eyebrow, a dare for him to say any insults towards Eric.

"A huntsman." The man in question finished. "She will be Queen and I am nothing but a huntsman. She needs to marry some prince, or nobleman," He shot a look at William, who had the grace to look uncomfortable at the implication. "Not waste her time with a mere huntsman. I've told her so before. She doesn't listen."

"I listened, Eric." Snow murmured. "But I do not accept it."

"Then what do you intend to do?" William asked, this being the key question here.

"It is quite simple really. I intend to be with Eric, no matter what." She said plainly. "Either he will stand at my side as King," A strangled cry was heard from Eric, he'd never expected her to say any such thing. "Or if people will not accept him as such," She continued as if he hadn't frozen in shock. "I will join him in whatever village, whatever place he wishes to live, and renounce my claim to the crown, giving it you August." The Duke looked nearly as shocked as Eric. "You have led the people for ten years, and they will welcome your rule again."

"But they want you as their Queen!" Greta imputed, knowing the common folks' hearts, being one herself.

"And they may yet have me." Snow replied. "They have a choice: they will have me as their Queen if they accept Eric as their King, if he himself will accept it," She added, shooting a look to a still frozen Huntsman. "Or they will have August, and one day William, as their King without me, and I will join Eric wherever he may go. Whatever decision is reached, I will not be parted from Eric."

* * *

**A/N - Very straightforward of her, but no chance of her being parted from Eric, and I can't see her being someone who would go behind people's backs and sneak around, so this is really the only alternative.**

**Review please!**


	5. Hail to The Queen

_Disclaimer: I do now own Snow White & The Huntsman  
_

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Hail to The Queen**

* * *

Snow's words had the effect of shocking everyone in the room, though it was Greta who recovered first. She led Snow out of the room to take her to get dressed leaving the men to their devices.

"I need a drink." Eric muttered some moments after Greta had shut the door behind her and Snow. Grabbing his shirt off the floor, the Huntsman yanked it over his head and headed out of the room. He didn't head to the great hall, however, but to the nearest pub. It was there that William and the dwarves found him hours later, still nursing his drink, though when William went to pay for a private dinning room the proprietor told him Eric was still on his first drink, having barely taken a few sips in the hours he'd been there. With Beith and Coll's help, William got Eric up and into the private room where they could all discuss the matter at hand.

"Now what is all this about?" Beith asked when they were finally alone. William had come to him and asked the dwarves for help with Eric, but had told them no more.

"Snow wants to make Eric her King." William told them. The dwarves were silent for a moment until his words sunk in, at which point all, save Muir who'd arrived with a contingency from the Duke's castle but an hour ago, burst into laughter.

"Him? King? Ha!" Beith laughed before they all grew silent upon seeing the serious look on William's face, and the still dazed look of the Huntsman. "You're serious."

"Indeed I am." William confirmed, as if it was necessary. "She says she will not be parted from him. Either he will become her King, or she will abdicate in favour of joining him wherever he may go."

"No wonder he's completely out of it." Gort said, waving a hand in front of Eric's face and getting no reaction.

"Truthfully I don't see what the problem is." William continued, shooting a look at Eric, and making the dwarves wonder if his next words were said in truth, or to bring Eric back to the land of the living. "He would not be the first commoner our sovereign married, the people, both the common folk and the aristocracy, will accept him in time, and I think he would make a great king."

"A great king?" Eric all but breathed as he whirled to face William. "_A great king_?! I'm barely a half decent huntsman, how could I possibly be a king, let alone a great one?" Eric jumped up and began to pace. "I'm a selfish bastard, I've never put anyone before myself, forget an entire kingdom. I'm drunk half the time or more, I'm not educated, nor have any manners, I'm not a noble who has an idea of what he's doing, I wouldn't be able to lift a single finger to help her, I wouldn't know where to start…"

"You done?" William asked.

"There's a million more reasons why I would not make a good king!" He snapped back.

"Perhaps, but none of them truly matter. Nor do any of the ones you've already named."

"How could you possibly say that?!"

"Because it's the truth." Muir answered for William, speaking up for the first time. "You say you have never put another soul before yours yet that's all you've done since I've met you. You've put our Princess ahead of you, following her, protecting her, without thought to yourself. Your instincts are true, Huntsman."

"He's right." Said William. "Your instincts are true, and that is something you cannot learn, but everything else is. And Snow will be learning a lot of it right alongside you."

"She's the Princess. She knows how to run this kingdom, it's been ingrained in her since birth." Eric countered.

"Not exactly. Trust someone who was there with her from birth. Apart from courtly manners and a basic education she knows nothing of running a kingdom. She had just turned seven when Ravenna took over the kingdom and from that moment on any learning stopped. And now the kingdom is entirely different, anything she might have learned is irrelevant. All she will know to do is to draw on what few memories she has of how things _were_ and see if they can be applied to how things are _now_. Other then that she's learning from scratch."

"And as to your other reason of being drunk half the time and being a right bastard, we can help you there. It'd be our abject pleasure to keep you sober and to put you in your place when needed." Beith said with a smirk.

"Get the feeling we won't be needed much for that, what with the Princess around." Nion added. None of the dwarves could argue with that.

"Look, we came here to make sure you were alright and ensure you're seeing both sides, not simply thinking you're not good enough." William said. "And to make sure you don't run." He added as an afterthought. "Whether you stand by Snow's side as King or not is between the two of you. And you do need to talk to her about what you two will be doing next, for she's made it clear it will affect the both of you." His face hardened then. "I meant what I said about running. If you leave her I will hunt you down and make your death slow and painful for breaking her heart." Clasping Eric on the shoulder, William's demeanour changed and he stood and went to the door, intent on leaving him with the dwarves, though he turned back just before exiting. "For what it's worth, once the shock and fear of the unknown wears off, I do think you will make a good king."

**oo00o0o00oo**

"You'll make a good king." Greta told Eric the following day as she joined him in the great hall. He'd returned to the castle the previous night, unable to stay away from Snow any longer, and the two had spent the night together with no talk of future plans, merely enjoying their time together now. He'd woken in quite a good mood, leaving Snow to Greta to get ready, only for the lady's maid to come in search of him an hour later and ruin his good mood.

"You're the second person to say that, but I don't see how either of you are right." He returned.

"We're right because you belong with the Princess." Greta said simply. "She told me about White Hart, and you waking her from Ravenna's spell. She has been chosen to bring life back into the land, but she can't do it alone. You too have been chosen, to stand by her side and help her. You compliment each other well, and while one of you deals with lords and politics, the other can deal with more pressing everyday matters. I've talked to the dwarves too, and Muir says your instincts are true. You can't tell me that your instincts would let people continue to suffer as the kingdom is slowly rebuilt when the power to help them is being handed to you." Eric groaned as she made a fair point, and truthfully one he hadn't thought of. He'd thought that being king meant being sequestered with lords all the time, trying to appease them and dealing with the intricate politics of court where there were a thousand ways to insult someone with a single word, not helping the common folk. He may have been a selfish bastard before Sara, and after Sara before Snow, but the person he was with them, the person he wanted to be, helped people. Sara had done all she could to make the lives of the people in their village better, and he'd helped wherever he could. And now with Snow, he'd helped displace an evil queen after only knowing her two days. His Princess was prepared to hand to him power beyond anything he'd had before, she trusted him unquestionably with it, and it was power he could use to better the lives of the people he'd once helped, and not just from his own village, but everywhere. He knew from experience that the people were starving, homeless, had no jobs, no security, were losing all they had, and even dying, at the hands of those they'd once called friends for those friends had no choice but to steal or kill if they didn't want to starve and die themselves; and here he was being given the power to help see an end to all that.

"You know I'm right." Greta said, seeing that her words had had the effect of making him think, which was truthfully all she'd hoped for. The Princess would convince him in the end, but there was no harm in helping her along by having him contemplating it all already.

"Perhaps…" He grunted noncommittally, though he could picture it now. He and Snow working together to help those most in need, he doing most of the planning, having more experience in the people's needs then she, then happily standing back and allowing her to appear as a guardian angel to them as they were brought out of starvation and poverty; not caring himself for the adulation they would be showered with. He wanted to help people, but there was no chance of him appearing out of the darkness like a beacon of hope, being all smiles as they handed out coin and food where needed, saw villages built up again, kissed babies and kept the people's spirits up. Snow had that part covered, her innocence and purity fit the part well, while he was more likely to get in fights with lawless people until crime went down, or be covered in muck while doing some hard labour, his gruff nature shining through all the while.

"Just know that any excuse you give for why you shouldn't be king, I can find two for why you should." Greta added, rising from the table and giving her seat to Snow, who'd sought Eric upon entering the hall.

"Look, Princess, your maid just had a chat with me, and William and the dwarves did earlier as well, I still don't know-"  
"I'm not here to talk about that." Snow said, reaching over and grasping his hand. "I just came to be with you. I know I grew up here, but…this is all new to me." She confessed. "And the only time I can remember being more scared then I have these last two days is the night my father was killed. The battle against Ravenna didn't scare me as much as everything the Duke has been going over with me, and everything I still need know. My head and heart are reeling, and you're the only one who seems to be able to calm me."

" 'Calm' you?" He chuckled. "I don't think anyone has ever said that I've calmed them before. Infuriated them, driven them to madness, but never calmed them."

"Shut up." Snow muttered, earning a more hearty laugh. The two sat and talked for most of the evening, through dinner and after as well, Snow staying at a lower table with Eric rather then claiming her rightful place on the dais. No one approached them, not even their friends, though all smiled seeing the two together. They were the cause of many turned heads throughout the evening, the men and servants who littered the hall naturally taking in the sight of their Princess, though her interactions with this man drew its own attention. Most of the men present had been there at the Duke's castle when Snow had awoken and so had seen the kiss between them, and those who hadn't were quickly filled in, all drawing the same conclusions. For their part, Snow and Eric were completely oblivious to the attention given to them, fully lost in each other.

"Shall we, Princess?" Eric asked as the evening drew to a close. He offered her his hand as he stood, smiling when she accepted it, though Snow couldn't help but correct him, bending his arm at the elbow and lacing her arm through his in the proper courtly manner of escorting a lady.

"We'll make a gentleman out of you yet." She quipped, earning a playful growl, as they walked from the room.

"You're not going to try and stop them?" William asked his father, the two having abandoned the dais as well, leaving it empty when Snow wasn't there.

"What's the point?" Hammond asked, sounding far from pleased, though William did detect that he wasn't as displeased as he had been the other morning. "The whole hall's talking about them, it'll be all over the castle by morning, especially since the two left together. Some will hold to the belief that he's merely being courteous and will leave her at her door, though none will truly believe it."

"And you no longer care to try and stop the gossip?" Beith asked.

"I intend to see that she is crowned Queen." Hammond said, having reached his decision on this matter. "If that means I must also see him crowned King, then so be it."

"Allowing the people to know they are together will only help in that regard." William added. "They will get used to him as the man she loves that by the time of their coronation none will be surprised that he stands at her side."

"Knowing what goes on between them will see to it that all expect him to become King," The Duke agreed. "For they will expect nothing less of their sovereign's husband. _That _I will not budge on!" He added, looking to his son and William knew he was expected to help in this regard. "He _will _marry her, and preferably before she gets with child. I won't see her disgraced by being used then abandoned with his bastard."

"He will never abandon her." Muir spoke up sagely. "They are destined, White Hart has blessed their union."

"Muir's right." Duir said. "White Hart appeared to her as he's appeared to none before her. Then Eric wakes her from the curse. It's all the proof I need."

"Aye." The other dwarves all said in agreement. The Duke nodded. He still wasn't sure if he believed in all this, in White Hart, though his son swore to seeing the stag, but he'd grown to trust these people, and he certainly trusted the Princess, so if the fairy stories were good enough for them, then their belief in them was good enough for him.

**oo00o0o00oo**

Word that Ravenna had been defeated at the hands of King Magnus' daughter spread throughout the kingdom like wildfire over the following days. The entire kingdom rejoiced at the news of the evil queen's defeat and that Princess Snow White was alive and well, all accepting her as their soon to be Queen without hesitation. The days that followed Ravenna's defeat saw the darkness that had settled over the kingdom lift and the change that simple fact brought was enough to set things in motion. People no longer lived in fear, many came out of the woodwork, wherever they had been hiding, and joined in the celebrations. The castle was a hive of activity. Ravenna's greed saw to it that the kingdom's treasury was filled to the brim, having taxed the people out of food and home, and it was unanimously decided that money would be used to set things right.

They began with the town bordering the castle, repairing it where needed and bringing many of its people in to the castle itself for work, all in preparation of the coronation, for which a date had been set two months hence. Snow had protested, knowing how much money must be going in to the coronation and wanting it to be used instead to help the people reclaim their lives, not for a show of riches and pageantry, but Greta explained to her that not only would such a show lift many spirits, especially of those who would attend, those being the people in positions to help others, but the great amount of work involved gave way for many jobs, which the people sorely needed. Snow relented and patiently went through the hours with a seamstress for not only her coronation gown, but also an entire wardrobe fit for a queen. She wasn't the only one getting new clothes, Greta, the dwarves, Anna and Lily and their people, who had arrived at the castle a week after Ravenna's defeat at Snow's behest, and especially Eric all received new clothing; the seamstress paying special attention to his clothing. Not long after word spread of Ravenna's defeat did word spread of the Princess' love for a huntsman. Every tale, different though they may be as they passed from person to person, all told of their love, and all left behind a single question: would the royal wedding take place before, or after the coronation? It wasn't a question of if, but when.

Eric had not actually said that he would accept being King, but his actions spoke louder then any words he could say. He'd involved himself in matters of the kingdom, this having the added bonus of being by Snow's side all day, giving insight where he could and asking many questions. He found that this wasn't very different from Snow. She'd told him, of course, that this was all new to her, but seeing her listening, asking questions and advice like he was rather then instantly knowing the answer and coming up with brilliant ideas, really drove that fact home. They trusted Duke Hammond's judgement and learned as he patiently taught them. As more lords arrived they too joined in the discussions, offering their own ideas and Eric found that he was very good at telling when one of their ideas were meant to benefit them, not the people. Hammond had told them that there were a couple such self-serving lords who had survived like him and were left from King Magnus' reign. He assured them that they weren't bad people, they wouldn't do anything detrimental to the kingdom, but they would put themselves above everyone else, and Eric was very good at spotting them, though it was Snow who had the finesse to call them on it without calling them self-serving pricks, as Eric was want to do.

As the first month after Ravenna's defeat came to an end, the castle had settled into a semblance of normalcy, though it was still far from normal for Eric.

"Here you are, my lord." His young valet, Joshua, said as he handed him a chain of jewels set in gold, commissioned for him by the Duke.

"Uh…thank you." He said awkwardly. This was only the third day of him having a valet, and Eric was definitely not used to it. He'd dressed himself for twenty-seven years, but apparently a lord did not do so, though he had to admit, having someone care for all his new finery was a blessing, for Eric was prone to throwing his clothes on the floor, knowing he'd be wearing them the following day, but now he had a whole wardrobe, not just the one set.

"Will there be anything else my lord?"

"No, thank you." Eric muttered distractedly, looking in the mirror and trying to determine just how ridiculous he looked.

"You look very dashing." A voice said from the doorway. Both men whipped around to face the newcomer, one smiling, the other instantly bowing.

"You highness." Joshua murmured to Snow. She walked into the room and bade him rise.

"Thank you, Joshua, for taking such good care of him." She said with a smile, forcing the boy's own; whenever Snow smiled others did too, she had that effect on people.

"It's my pleasure to serve his grace." The boy assured her before bowing out of the room.

"I meant what I said." Snow told Eric as she came up to him and fixed the jewelled chain that hung over his shoulders and halfway down his doublet. "You do look very handsome."

"I'll never get used to it." He muttered. "Nor to being addressed as 'your grace' and 'my lord.' " He was addressed as such out of courtesy, everyone knowing he would one day be King, not due to any sort of title he bore. He'd refused any sort of title, though Snow had wanted to give him one, ultimately saying that he was going to be King soon, the first time he verbally acknowledged that fact, and didn't need another title to make his head even bigger.

"Well you won't have to be used to it for long. Soon it will be 'your majesty' and 'sire.' " Snow joked, chuckling at his unamused expression.

"That's not funny."

"To the contrary. The reaction it elicits from you is quite funny." Eric growled playfully and hauled her up and over his shoulder, ignoring her squealed protest as he carried her to the bed and dropped her on to it, climbing up to hover above her before she could escape.

"What are you doing?" She laughed.

"Eliciting my own funny reaction." He responded and immediately set about tickling her. Snow shrieked with laughter and tried to get him back, though eventually gave up.

"That was not funny." She said before she could stop herself.

"To the contrary." He threw her own words back at her. Then, unable to help himself, he bent his head and brought his lips to hers. They kissed for a moment before Snow pulled away, ever the one to have to show restraint, though she suspected Eric didn't do so on purpose.

"People will be waiting for us." She mumbled.

"Let them wait." He kissed her again and began to hike her skirts up, bunching them around her waist.

"We're supposed to be getting ready for the day, not taking our clothes off." She protested weakly.

"Who's taking anything off?" He asked, releasing himself from his breeches, though by no means did he actually remove them. "Just rearranging a bit." Snow couldn't help but give in, her weak protests going out the window. The two lost track of time and stayed sequestered in Eric's room long enough for Greta and William to come in search of them, they being the ones the two were supposed to meet first that day, only to stop short at the sounds emitting from the room.

"Really?" William groaned. "Can they not keep their hands off each other?"

"They're in love." Greta said as if that explained it all.

"In love or not they have duties to attend to." William grumbled. "Not to mention my father will kill him if she becomes with child before they are married, for which a date has not even been set yet. Given how often they go at it it's a miracle that particular confrontation has not yet happened."

"It may happen sooner then you think." Greta said after a moment.

"W-what?" William stuttered.

"I am not entirely convinced she is not with child." She admitted.

"Dear god." He muttered, letting that news sink in for a moment before turning to the task at hand. "Alright knock it off!" He yelled through the door as he banged his fist on it. "You have two minutes to make yourselves decent before Greta and I come in and tear you two apart!"

"You wouldn't-" Was heard through the door, but William would hear none of it.

"Oh I would, make no mistake!" He threatened. They could hear Eric cursing as he stumbled about the room before yanking the door open and giving his best murderous glare to William.

"You brought this on yourself." William said, not intimidated at all as he pulled Eric out into the hall, letting Greta enter the room to tend to Snow. "Fix your doublet." He instructed, seeing it was entirely out of place, though mercifully his breeches weren't.

"Here." Greta said holding out Eric's jewelled chain as she and Snow, who looked quite embarrassed at being caught, appeared in the doorway. William grabbed it from her with a quick thanks and threw it at Eric, making a score as it landed around his neck, before the Duke's son took off down the hall, fully expecting Eric to follow him.

"So may I take it that you two have set a date for the wedding then?" William turned to confront Eric when after leading outside to the courtyard that belonged to Snow's mother, the same one with the apple tree he and Snow used to climb.

"Why do you ask?" Eric asked wearily, still quite annoyed at having been disturbed.

"Well I just assumed with the way you two go at it you'd want to make an honest woman out of her before she made a father out of you. Not to mention that _my_ father will flay you alive if she has a child before she's properly married." Eric didn't hear that final comment about the Duke, his heart having stopped upon hearing the word 'father.'

"She…she is…" Eric could not get the words out though it was not hard to guess what he was trying to ask.

"I don't know." William admitted. "Greta says there's a distinct possibility." Eric groaned, sounding pained, and dropped down onto the stone bench that stood under the tree. "Evidently you haven't thought of that possibility." The Duke's son ground out, feeling more and more put out with his future King. "Her I can understand not knowing of such things, she was locked in a tower for ten years and was far too young to know of such things beforehand, but _you_ have no excuse! You're a grown man who by his own words has gotten around. You had a wife! How could you be so stupid as to not think of it? Have you even been taking any precautions? And what's more, she is not come tavern whore, she is soon to be our Queen, she deserves far better then a careless tumble between the sheets!"

"Alright!" Eric growled, jumping to his feet and looking down at the shorter man. "I get it, I haven't done this the way I should have."

"No really?" William snarled sarcastically.

"But where is this coming from? You've known for nigh on two months that we've been together and have said nothing since that first day. Is this jealousy speaking? Has it been eating away at you since that day that it's me she chose?"

"No." William said plainly, looking Eric in the eye. This conversation had been a long time coming. "I gave up on that when I saw how much she loved you, when you woke her from Ravenna's curse."

"But you love her."

"I will always love her. But not in that way. I will not deny that I grew up believing she would one day be my wife, a fact that my father _and_ King Magnus not only didn't try to dissuade, but actually encouraged. When I first learned she survived I thought only of getting her to safety, though yes, I thought things would be as they once were between us. But I realized pretty quickly they can't be. We've changed too much, and she loves you." Eric stared him down but saw nothing but truth in his eyes. "I willingly give her up, give up any claim I may have had to her, for her happiness. Though I retain her friendship and I _will _join my father in flaying you alive if you don't do right by her." William then walked off, forgetting whatever business he had with Eric this morning, and leaving behind a thoughtful former huntsman.

**oo00o0o00oo**

Eric said nothing to Snow about what William had told him about Greta's suspicions. He knew that the lady's maid would say something when, and if, it became necessary. He did, however, take something else William had said to heart and asked Greta to explain to Snow about such things as pregnancy and babies, knowing that William had been right that being locked in a tower for ten years, and being too young before that, would pretty much ensure she knew nothing about any of it. He was quite relieved when Greta laughed and said that she and Snow had had that discussion when Greta first learned they spent the night together. His heart was quite light after hearing that news, knowing that all the times they'd been together since that first day, she'd known of the possibility of her getting pregnant and still she willingly, and happily, came to him. Although they'd not spoken of it, the two future monarchs had thought on the subject of children separately, both deciding that while they wouldn't try for a child just yet, they were quite happy with the way things were right now, and so if a child was conceived then they'd welcome it with open arms.

So, it was with no true surprise that barely a week before the coronation, and nearly three months since Snow and Eric first met, did Snow tell him that she was with child. After a momentary shock his reaction was one of jubilance and Snow could not have been happier that it was. Knowing what Duke Hammond's, and William's, reaction to this news would be, the two determined the wedding date before they even went to see them.

"But five days from now is the day of the coronation." Hammond said when they told him the date.

"Need we even ask why the rush?" William asked, glaring at Eric, though both he and Snow noted the playful tone to it.

"I am with child." Snow confirmed, placing a hand on her still flat belly.

"Congratulations to both of you." Muir said to them, the dwarves having naturally been included in this conversation. The dwarves mimicked Muir's words, as did William and the Duke, the two unable to deny they were happy for them, especially as even before the child had been confirmed they'd set a date to be wed, Hammond knowing it was largely to appease him.

"But why the day of the coronation?" He asked.

"Why not?" Snow asked in return. "Everyone will be here, it will cost less then hosting a royal wedding some months from now, and I'm already almost three months gone. If we plan an actual wedding I'll be big with child by then, and how will that look?"

"People will know you were with child before you married whether you marry in five days, or five months." Hammond said.

"Yes, but there will be less talk of it if I do not spend the next few months visibly pregnant yet unmarried." The Duke couldn't deny that fact and as he was the one usual on them about minimizing scandals he could hardly argue. The castle grew even more busy and frantic when they heard that the coronation would also be a wedding, all were determined to make the day absolutely perfect. Those five days flew by for Snow and Eric and before they knew it they were being dressed in their best, the clothes specifically designed for this day, and were led down to the great hall, all attendees were already inside. Eric was led to an antechamber off the side of the dais where he would enter from and await Snow at the alter as she entered from the main doors on Duke Hammond's arm, he taking the place of her father. She looked beautiful in a deep red gown with delicate embroidery and a white veil flowing behind her. Whether the ceremony was short or long, neither Snow or Eric could tell you, so lost in each other were they that the archbishop who performed the ceremony, and would also perform the coronation that followed, had to prompt them to day 'I do.' When it was over, when they were finally declared man and wife, Eric bent down and kissed her soundly, the two pulling away wearing silly grins that did not disappear until absolutely necessary. The cushioned stools that were brought in for them to kneel upon and receive the archbishop's blessing were removed and replaced by the two thrones that belonged to Snow's parents. It was a last minute change to bring in the second throne, for Eric was not originally to be crowned this day for he could not be until they were married. The thrones were identical, the King's throne no larger or more ornate then the Queen's as Snow's parents had ruled together as equals. It was something she and Eric intended to do as well, and Snow knew there would be some surprise when it was Eric that wore her father's crown and not she. It was well understood by all that Eric had no claim to the throne save for being Snow's husband, and so many believed that Snow would wear her father's crown and rule as Queen Regent while Eric sat at her side, King in name only. Snow knew that should it come down to it she had that power to supersede Eric, for whether the title of King was technically higher then Queen or not, it was she that was the heir to the throne, but she fully intended to rule as her parents had, together, united in all things regarding their kingdom. As far as Snow was concerned it mattered not who wore what crown, but she understood that to many it did, and allowing her father's crown to grace Eric's head and not her own would go a long way towards presenting that united front.

"In the name of all that is good and just in this land I crown you Queen!" The archbishop spoke, placing her mother's crown atop her head. Eric stood off to the side smiling softly as the day many had waited for came to pass. Snow stood from the throne, the branch of the Evertree clasped in her hand. The Evertree stood in her mother's courtyard, the tree she and William used to play in, and had been there for as long as any could remember, long before the castle was built. The very branch Snow held was said to have been used to crown the first King of Tabor, the blossoms on the branch said to have never withered over the hundreds of years since. After walking enough steps so that the ermine trimmed cape she wore would not get caught underfoot, Snow turned and handed the Evertree branch to one of the attendants as Eric came forward and knelt on the cushion before her. His own ermine trimmed cape was placed about his shoulders as the archbishop handed Snow her father's crown. The church had the power to crown the new King or Queen Regent, but it fell to them to crown their spouse.

"As Queen of Tabor, I crown you King." She kept it simple, though that was all that needed to be said. Eric felt the crown be placed on his head and with it the weight of the kingdom, though one look at his beloved saw half of that weight disappear, knowing they were in this together. He stood and turned to face the crowd, clasping her hand in his before taking a tiny step back and doing something he had discussed with no one.

"Hail to the Queen!" He called out, drawing a confused look from Snow, though both Hammond and William smiled from the sidelines, seeing that he was learning the game of politics. Snow made a show of their unity by giving Eric her father's crown, declaring them equals, while Eric's call of hail for the Queen, not waiting for others to hail them both, told the congregation he would defer to her if necessary.

"Hail to the Queen!" The entire assembly followed his lead. Then, to his surprise, they did not stop there.

"Hail to the Queen! Hail to the King! Hail to the Queen! Hail to the King!"

* * *

**A/N - And there you have it! Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading!**

**Review please!**


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